October 9, 2026
While the ongoing war in Ukraine continues to displace communities and shatter infrastructure, a parallel battle is being waged by individuals who refuse to leave vulnerable animals behind. Amid active shelling, mined roads, and the constant threat of overhead drones, dedicated rescue workers are driving directly into danger zones to provide food, emergency medical care, and evacuation to animals with nowhere else to turn.
These high-stakes rescue missions are the subject of a powerful new documentary, RESCUE, which follows frontline teams risking their lives to save animals trapped in active combat areas across Ukraine. The film is set to screen in Los Angeles on October 15 as part of the DOC LA Film Festival, bringing an unvarnished look at the realities of wartime animal rescue to American audiences.
Much of the critical work featured in the film is made possible through international solidarity and financial backing, notably via PETA’s Global Compassion Fund. The fund supports vital rescue and relief efforts worldwide, partnering on the ground with organizations like Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK). Through donations from supporters around the globe, ARK and similar grassroots networks have been able to maintain operations, reach isolated animals, and fund a specialized veterinary clinic where injured and traumatized creatures receive urgent, life-saving care.
See PETA-Supported Rescuers in Action
Since the conflict began, Animal Rescue Kharkiv has saved tens of thousands of animals, operating in regions where standard municipal services have collapsed. RESCUE provides an intimate look at this dangerous work by following ARK rescuers Ruslan Horbal and Simone Eisenbeiss as they navigate frontline territories.
In the documentary, viewers watch as the team travels into high-risk areas under constant threat from patrolling drones and nearby artillery fire. Despite the extreme peril, the rescuers remain steadfast in their mission to provide food, makeshift shelter, and refuge to abandoned pets and livestock. One of the film’s most striking sequences takes place in the heavily damaged village of Shyikivka, where Horbal and Eisenbeiss work quickly to load terrified dogs and goats into their rescue vehicle while distant explosions echo across the landscape.
Reflecting on the psychological impact of their work on the animals they encounter, Eisenbeiss notes in the film, “When you bring kindness to them in such a bad environment, they follow you.”
The documentary also shines a light on the contributions of Petya Petrova, a former campaigner for PETA Germany who relocated to Ukraine to assist with animal relief efforts following the outbreak of the war. Petrova routinely travels into volatile areas to deliver vital supplies, including food for stranded cats that would otherwise face starvation amid the ruins of their former neighborhoods.
Through long hours on dangerous roads, moments of heartbreaking loss, and the profound relief of bringing animals to safety, RESCUE captures the complex emotional and physical toll of operating in a war zone. For Horbal, the motivation to continue is deeply personal. “It’s not just about going there because someone said so,” he explains in the film. “I do it because I want to. And I chose it.”
See RESCUE at DOC LA
For audiences wishing to view the documentary and learn more about the frontline rescue efforts, RESCUE will screen in Los Angeles during the DOC LA Film Festival.
The screening is scheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2026, from 7:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Regal LA Live, located at 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015. Tickets are available for $15.
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Animals caught in the crossfire of wars, natural disasters, and other humanitarian crises rely entirely on the compassion of individuals willing to provide emergency intervention. PETA’s Global Compassion Fund is sustained exclusively through contributions from donors, enabling partner organizations to deliver critical assistance to regions where animals have no other hope of survival.
