As War in Ukraine Drags On, Dogs Offer Comfort

For two days last month, a vision of canine paradise emerged in the heart of a city regularly pounded by Russian drones and missiles.

Under sunny skies, thousands of dogs of all sizes and shapes reveled at a festival held in a former Soviet-era factory in the city, Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. They frolicked in sandboxes, splashed in plastic pools and dove into ball pits — all to the backdrop of pop music blaring from loudspeakers.

In tents and disused warehouses, artists sketched dog caricatures, vendors displayed patterned pajamas and hats for pets, and groomers pampered Pomeranians and chow chows with brushes and lotions.

“It’s like a dog community, and it’s very cute,” said Tetiana Andrus, the owner of Cookie, a 9-month-old Biewer terrier who dashed excitedly around her as they wandered through the PesDay festival, named after a Ukrainian word for dog.

The event, which organizers say drew some 13,000 dogs and about the same number of owners, was a vivid illustration of the boom in dog ownership that has swept across Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Seeking companionship and comfort during difficult times, many people have turned to the pet that might be called a Ukrainian’s best friend.