Well, we know that companion animals are part of the family and this certainly applies to this Syrian refugee who made his long, perilous and arduous journey from war-torn Syria to Greece with a tabby kitten because he couldn’t leave her behind.
There is a photo posted of him on Twitter which you see heading this page which shows the moment that he landed on the island of Lesbos, Greece with his young cat cradled in a makeshift carrier.
Apparently, he had few other possessions so he clearly decided that his kitten was one of the most important “possessions” that he had. It seems that he is a member of a family because another Twitter account states that “This Syrian family brought their beloved cat to Greece”.
This refugee has become a bit of a hero and an Internet celebrity. I wonder how many other Syrian refugees escaping that destroyed country have brought with them their companion animals? It would be interesting to know. This is the first time that I’ve read about this sort of thing happening. The kitten’s name is called “Olive” in English and the Arabic name is “Zaytouna”.
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How heartwarming that this gentleman cares so much for his kitten that he brought her with him.
It does however raise questions regarding how the strict regulations of the pet travel scheme are going to be enforced. Hopefully an animal charity or welfare group will be able to help with getting Olive her pet passport, so that she will be allowed to travel with her owner to their final destination in Europe.
The fact that he cares enough to do the right thing in such dangerous times amazes me. Bless him and the rest of his family and of course”Olive”.
I hope things go well for both of them. They both deserve a happy ending.