Ukrainian veterinarians Leonid and Valentina Stoyanov have dedicated their lives to keeping their country’s animals safe in the midst of the ongoing war.
The anti-drone netting that surrounds the war’s front lines has become an issue for the area's birds
and other wildlife.
“Many drones get stuck in them, which saves many human lives, but at the same time, many innocent wild animals get lost in them,” Valentina wrote on Instagram.
This past January, the Stoyanovs got a call about an owl stuck in one of the anti-drone nets. Leonid and Valentina immediately started preparing to travel to the front lines and save the bird. They had to wear helmets and protective gear to keep themselves as safe as possible while approaching an active war zone.
When they arrived at the front lines, the couple found the owl deeply entangled in the netting. She’d been struggling to free herself but completely unable to. It was clear she wouldn’t have made it much longer without help.
“This owl was found just in time,” Valentina wrote.
Valentina worked to carefully cut away the thick netting surrounding the owl. When the bird was finally free, she was in a state of shock and stayed completely still.
Back at the Stoyanovs’ animal hospital, the couple gave the owl plenty of water and conducted a thorough physical exam. They found that while she would need to be treated for a few injuries, luckily none of them were life-threatening.
“She managed to injure her head and one wing, but these injuries were not serious,” Valentina wrote.
Since they rescued the owl, Leonid and Valentina have been working hard to get her back on her feet. They’ve treated her injuries and worked to help her relearn how to fly comfortably.
“She has now almost fully recovered in our hospital,” Valentina wrote.
Once the owl is feeling completely better, the team will release her into a protected nature reserve — far from the front lines. Thanks to the pair of brave vets, this little owl will be out of harm’s way for the rest of her life.
“Even such a small life deserves to be fought for,” Valentina wrote.
