- More than 100 dogs survived a month of starvation at a shelter near Borodyanka, Ukraine.
- The surviving dogs have been unable to cross into Poland to get necessary veterinarian care.
- An animal charity told CBS News that there were regulations against shelter dogs for disease control.
More than 100 dogs that survived starvation at an animal shelter near Borodyanka, Ukraine, are being turned away at the Poland border, CBS News reported.
UAnimal, An animal charity announced last week that over 300 dogs died at the Borodansky Animal Shelter from hunger and thirst. The animals were left to starve in their enclosures for more than a month.
"With the shelter increasingly inaccessible due to the conflict, sadly many of the dogs perished," Wendy Higgins, director of international media for Humane Society International, told NPR.
—Naturewatch Foundation (@Naturewatch_org) April 7, 2022
In a tweet, Kate Parker, a wildlife crime campaign manager at Naturewatch Foundation said that animals are being turned back because of a rule that says animals must be accompanied by an owner to cross as well as for disease control.
"These dogs are starved, traumatized, and now stuck in a war zone," Parker told CBS News.
Parker told CBS News that shelters have been destroyed, and those remaining may not have electricity or the staff to assist the animals. Additionally, many veterinarians have fled the country for their own safety.
She added that there are veterinarians in shelters in Poland that are waiting to help.
Parker told CBS News that she's hoping officials make an exception this time for the sake of animal welfare, and said they'd abide by any quarantine guidelines for disease control.
Parker did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.