Lenny, a stray dog, was first uninterested in Dr. Courtney Katsur.
Lenny's time spent on the streets of Ukraine, caught in the crossfire of conflict, was unknown to Dr. Katsur. The conflict, however, had left many dogs starving and she had seen this personally. Thedodo reports that by the time an injured and famished Lenny was brought to an animal sanctuary, he had already recovered from his injuries.
He was lying near to a heater when I arrived," Dr. Katsur told The Dodo. Surgery rendered him immobile for two days, during which time he trusted no one.
Dr. Katsur had been living in Virginia and watching the war on television for just a few weeks when she met Lenny. However, the photographs and videos she saw of stray dogs in Ukraine compelled her to go there and lend a hand.
When she thought of all the people who had to abandon their furry family members and the homeless cats and dogs who had nowhere to go because animal shelters had been demolished, she felt a crushing sadness.
As a result, she volunteered to bring her veterinary expertise to the battlefield.
The realization that I can aid others dawned on me. I quote Dr. Katsur: I've never made more of an effort to get somewhere unpopular.
During her two-week journey, she helped feed animals and give medical care alongside a grassroots organization headquartered in the United Kingdom called Breaking The Chains. So many of the animals Dr. Katsur saved in Ukraine left an impression on her. Dr. Katsur admitted, "I cried when I left them."
But she'll never forget Lenny, the dog whose transformation she witnessed firsthand.
Doctor Katsur and the other volunteers at the shelter facility gradually won his trust and saw him become more accustomed to living amongst humans as they cared for him.
Dr. Katsur reported, "[He] jumped and laid in my luggage." Before, "he didn't even want a human to touch him," but now he "would jump and lay on my cot to snuggle."
Dr. Katsur was touched by Lenny's newfound affection.
He really changed," Dr. Katsur remarked. Amazing, as the saying goes.
Lenny has been known as "the compound dog" since he is so well-liked by the shelter's staff and residents.
Dr. Katsur remarked, "By the end, Lenny owned the place." To some extent, "he was the guy who was allowed to roam free within the compound."
Katsur is currently in the United States, where she is gathering funds and organizing volunteers remotely in preparation for her September return to Ukraine, where she will aid many more animals.
In his opinion, "right now I feel like [we've completed] like zero point one percent of what needs to be done," Dr. Katsur stated.
Dr. Katsur and Breaking the Chains have also been instrumental in securing the services of a permanent Ukrainian veterinarian for the compound, who will care for Lenny and any other animals in need.