War Tails began its journey not as film but as a labor of love by two dog-loving neighbors, an American and a Ukrainian, who saw how Ukraine was being devastated by war and wanted to help the dogs there. American retiree Dan Fine initially went to Ukraine to help the animals, with some assistance and direction provided by Humane Society International as well as White Angels. Fine was making short videos to document the exploding tragedy to those back home. He became convinced by a filmmaker that he had the pieces of a documentary, which, when completed, became War Tails. But you can be certain that making a film was completely secondary to Fine's purpose.
In the U. S., rabies is a fatal viral disease that is contained by vaccinating your pets. In Ukraine, rabies has begun running rampant because of the number of animals abandoned by war. In addition, the vets there simply can't keep up with the overpopulation of dogs and cats. In order to completely contain the virus and birth rates, more than 500,000 must be vaccinated and sterilized in the next four years.
Fine journeys throughout multiple devastated Ukranian cities with Krystyna, a Ukranian citizen and an absolutely fearless woman, trying to help these victims. You're mistaken if you believe their mission is just about animals. Rabies can be communicated to humans, with the infected dying a horrible, painful death, so this involves more than helping abandoned dogs and cats.
Dan and Krystyna catch and contain the petrified animals and bring them in to makeshift clinics, where they are treated by veterinarians. Their goal is to vaccinate a few thousand animals in multiple cities. Krystyna crawls into cement ducts, goes into abandoned, mine-ridden fields and had been bitten on multiple occassions, yet she and Dan persist with their mission. You'd think War Tails was going to be tragic in light of the situation, yet it was ultimately very positive and will resonate with anyone who ever loved an animal.
And if you're interested in helping be part of the solution, contact the E. U. Tell them you are concerned about animals in Ukraine and ask if they can help.
