When Russia invaded Ukraine, an Indian software engineering student, Rishab Kaushik, at the Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics Engineering, wanted to leave the country back to his home country.
However, he met obstacles when officials refused to allow him to bring his rescue dog, Malibu, along. Rishab had adopted the pup in Ukraine to keep him company, naming him “Malibu,” which means “sweet.” The young man refused to leave his dog behind, knowing he’d be alone and in danger.
Despite his family members leaving Ukraine, he stayed back for his dog. Some countries relaxed their immigration requirements to allow people and pets to pass through because of the war in Ukraine. However, not all refugees have succeeded in leaving with their pets.
Against the odds, Rishab stayed and tried to reach out to whoever could get the necessary paperwork for Malibu to leave Ukraine. He went further to post a video online detailing what he had been through trying to get authorities to allow his dog to fly home with him.
The video caught the attention of various people, including the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who came to his aid by reaching out to the Indian government. Thanks to PETA’s intervention, the government temporarily reduced travel restrictions to allow Rishab and people having similar issues to enter India with their pets.
Thanks to his bravery and loyalty, Rishab is now back in his home country with his beloved pup safe by his side.
Image Credit: YouTube