On Easter, holy days for Christians, we witnessed a miracle. An incredible rescue operation has come to an end, although it seemed impossible. 15-year-old Bolik bear and 7-year-old wolf Elza reborn in the AMP Liberty sanctuary.
We can say it’s a miracle that they are now free, away from filthy cages. Captives since they were born in small cages near a hotel complex in Ukraine and with the fear of an armed conflict in the area, their fate seemed to be sealed.
Every extra moment spent in a war-grind country poses a death threat for the two innocent animals. They have traveled thousands of kilometers, with countless stops for checks under the arms guard, but Bolik and Elza arrived safely on Romanian territory.
Elza the wolf arrived just in time at AMP Liberty! Both she and the big gentle bear, Bolik, were sterilized. The doctor, however, discovered a large uterine tumor, which was life-threatening for Elza and would not have had much to live if it had not been discovered. It was successfully operated, and she is now receiving the necessary treatment for healing.
Bolik, however, got acquainted with the forest and stepped on the grass for the first time. With fear and small steps, he sniffed all the new smells, felt the breeze of the wind and heard the happy birdsong. Our emotions were beyond words to see him enjoying the simple things he never had the chance to know before.
On behalf of Bolik the bear and Elza the wolf , but also on our behalf we would like to thank Ervin Nagy- Ébred Bolygó Alapítvány – Hungary, the man from which it all started and made this rescue possible, Olga Chevganiuk- UAnimals and Natalia Popova – Wild Animal Rescue International Charity Foundation – Ukraine, for all the efforts to convince the owner of the complex to offer these animals a chance at a life in their natural environment, but also for all the time allocated to complete the documents.
An extremely important piece in this puzzle was Tom and his team from Breaking The Chains – Documentaries, UK, people with huge souls who helped save thousands of animals in Ukraine since the beginning of the war. They took care of all the logistics regarding transport and, the night before Bolik and Elza’s release from the prison where they were convicted without guilt, they worked hard, hours in a row and counter-timer to strengthen the cages specially designed for the transport .
It has been an honor to work alongside each of you. Without everyone’s involvement this rescue would not have been possible, so we can say with all conviction that this time the war united! It brought together so many NGOs and people from multiple countries to see Bolik and Elza safely.
