Ukrainian refugee reunited with dog after month-long separation

SAN DIEGO (WILX) - A Ukrainian refugee was reunited with her pet dog in San Diego on Sunday and it was a tail-wagging happy moment.

Rosaliia Raison was separated from her Pomeranian named Perseya at the US-Mexico border in April because the dog had to complete a mandatory month-long rabies quarantine.

“I think it’s more like with daughter, you sleep with like this.. with a child, like a child,” Raison said at the emotional reunion. “How you say, this is a very big part of us, a part of our life. This is our family!”

The San Diego Humane Society has been caring for the dog and after this difficult period of separation, they were finally reunited.

“Right now, we are all bleeding from our hearts about what is happening in Ukraine. Right now we are all helpless, to really ‚really participate in making life better for these people,” said Greg Weitzman of the San Diego Humane Society. “This is the one thing we could do. So having this beautiful animal here with her wonderful owner and being able to bring them back together to start a new life in the United States is taking a little bit of that pain away from every one of us while we’re watching what’s happening.”

The San Diego Humane Society says it is now working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help Ukrainian refugees crossing the southern border bring their pets with them.

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