Fluffy Heroes of War: How Dogs and Cats Brought Victory Closer

      In the run-up to Victory Day, the Verkhneuslonskaya Children's Library, in its ecological column "Amazing Nearby," told about the feats of cats and dogs during the Great Patriotic War. Julbars, Murka, Mukhtar, and many other four-legged fighters saved thousands of lives and brought Victory closer.

      Animal protection is not only about caring for them today but also about remembering their heroic deeds in the past. Many know that dogs and cats are our faithful friends, but not everyone remembers that during the Great Patriotic War, they became true heroes. In anticipation of the celebration of Victory Day on May 4, the District Children's Library shared stories about the feats of four-legged fighters with readers and subscribers on its page in the social network "VKontakte" in the ecological column "Amazing Nearby: Fluffy Heroes." Julbars was a mine-detecting dog who saved thousands of lives. He is a true legend of the Great Patriotic War. In two years of service, he discovered seven and a half thousand mines and over one hundred fifty shells. During the war, the mine-detecting dog defused important architectural sites: the castles of Prague, the cathedrals of Vienna, and palaces along the Danube. He assisted Soviet sappers in defusing the grave of Taras Shevchenko in Kaniv and the Vladimir Cathedral in Kyiv. Shortly before Victory, Julbars received a serious injury. At the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945, he was carried in the arms of his comrades. Julbars became the only dog awarded the "For Military Merit" among the numerous students of the Central School "Red Star." Fortunately, he fully recovered from his injuries, left his front-line career, and became a movie star in the film "White Fang," directed by Alexander Zguridi. Murka was a reconnaissance cat. In the heat of the battles for Stalingrad, when the city lay in ruins and German snipers hunted down anyone trying to send a report, an ordinary cat came to the rescue. She became an indispensable messenger. Fighters entrusted her with secret notes, and Murka, skillfully avoiding dangers, delivered them straight to headquarters. Thanks to her agility and instinct, hundreds of lives were saved, and crucial information about the enemy's position was relayed. The British newspaper "The Times" even wrote about Murka's feat, noting that her heroic actions could not be valued more highly. Thus, Murka became a true symbol of resilience and courage for the defenders of Stalingrad.

      Other heroic dogs also deserve to be remembered. The shepherd Dick found twelve thousand mines and saved the Peterhof Palace from explosion. The sanitary dog Mukhtar pulled four hundred wounded from the battlefield, including his handler. Dina became the first sabotage dog: she dropped explosives under a German train. The signalman Rex delivered one and a half thousand reports under fire. Asta saved a child buried in the ruins by finding him by his cries. A tank blew up a German tank at the cost of its life near Stalingrad. In total, sixty-three Soviet tank-destroyer dogs died in the war. Lord was the only dog to survive the Buchenwald concentration camp as a test animal and then saved wounded partisans. Kazbek found one hundred fifty-seven people in the rubble after bombings.

      There were also heroic cats. Chernys from Stalingrad warned his family about bombings—he hid in the shelter first. Vaska, a blockade cat, brought caught pigeons to his owners, saving the family from starving to death in besieged Leningrad. Murzik, the ship's cat on the leader "Tashkent," calmed the sailors during bombings, for which he received a personal ration. Ryzhik sat on the ruins of a house for three days until rescuers arrived—under him, they found a living child. Leningrad's Manka gave birth during the blockade and nursed kittens, which later became rat catchers in the Hermitage. The radar cat from the cruiser "Murmansk" warned the crew about the approach of torpedoes when the instruments were still silent.

      In many cities across Russia and the world, monuments to four-legged heroes of the war stand. Their feats are immortalized so that future generations remember. They did not wear epaulettes, but their contribution to Victory is invaluable. How can we help animals today? By taking in stray dogs and cats—they can become heroes too. By supporting shelters with food, medicine, and volunteer help. By telling stories about animal heroes—memory is important. Even a small kitten or puppy can change someone's life. Take care of them.

      Diana Salikhzanova