When the Russian assault on Eastern Ukraine intensified in the city of Dnipro, PETA Germany and other animal advocates on the ground knew they needed to act quickly. After organizing successful rescue operations to evacuate animals from the cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk, they’d become experts at getting animals out of harm’s way—and now they would need to do it again.

The team soon searched Dnipro, finding 200 dogs and cats in need of rescue—but they couldn’t locate the fuel for the vehicles needed to drive the animals out of the city, and the driver they had engaged was called away. Refusing to give up, PETA Germany and its ally Animal Rescue Kharkiv combined their resources and linked together a chain of committed activists who could supply vehicles and fuel to move the animals—link by link—across the country to an animal shelter on the Hungarian border. Shortly after the caravan left Dnipro, the bridge they had just used to escape was bombed out, blocking access to the city. The animals were saved just in time!

Volunteers working at the shelter cried as they hugged the new arrivals and prepped them for the next leg of their journey—transport to the Global Compassion Fund–supported safe haven in Hungary. At this peaceful, open-air refuge, they’re receiving medical care, food, and plenty of affection while completing their required quarantine. All the animals will soon be ready to meet their adoptive families in neighboring countries and leave the trauma of war far behind.