Abandoned and covered in toxic sludge burning his skin, Henry was clinging to life when he was rescued, only to escape death once more.
Henry was saved after the flooding of Kherson in Ukraine by Save the Dogs (STD), a charity supported by the Blue Cross.
He used all his energy to swim to the rubble of a destroyed building, where he was saved by rescue teams in boats.
Henry had collapsed from exhaustion and was barely conscious. The thick coat of toxic oil coating his fur also caused painful chemical burns to his skin. He was hours from death.
Gregg Tully, Country Director for STD, explains: “After the Dam in Kherson exploded, Henry was one of the dogs who was pulled out of the flood waters.
“He was covered in oil and sludge. There was a lot of toxic material at the bottom of the reservoir that washed out with the flood.”
Mr Tully added: “We thought he was a black dog – we thought this dog was all black. And then he was cleaned up and taken to a vet clinic, and actually, he’s more white than black.”
Henry was then taken to a clinic in Odessa for round-the-clock treatment. But his ordeal did not end there, with the clinic caring for him being bombed. He and the other animals were unharmed due to being at another clinic for treatment.
Despite Henry’s hardship, Mr Tully says: “He’s a really happy dog. He’s still very underweight and he still has some skin problems, but he obviously loves people.
“It’s been really inspiring after seeing the videos of him getting pulled out of the flood waters, and now he’s a happy, loving dog. I won’t forget him – it was really amazing to see that.”
Liliana Pacheco from Save the Dogs, added: “Henry did not deserve what happened in Kherson. But here he is and it’s thanks to Blue Cross, the donors and Save the Dogs volunteer Zhanna, so thank you very much from the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”
Henry is now in a new loving home in Poland, with owner Anna saying: “When the Russians blew up the dam, I saw a video of Henry and my heart broke.
“I realised that no one would want to take him in, and he will never feel that someone loves him after this hell he went through. That’s why I started looking for him. I found the hospital where Henry was taken.
“They didn’t think he would survive because he was very injured, but he was treated, and he was transferred to me in Poland. Every day he gets a little bit stronger.”
