For the past 13 years, this fashion photographer turned animal rescuer has lived in Ukraine, not far away from Kyiv. He established the International Animal Protection League Charitable Foundation, which was awarded.
Your first instinct would be to flee and seek shelter from a conflict if there was war in your country. Andrea Cisternino?
Cisternino refuses the offer to flee Ukraine as Russian forces continue to strike Ukraine. This would require him to leave behind his 400 rescue dogs.
Before he became an animal protection champion, Cisternino worked as a fashion photographer in Italy before marrying his Ukrainian wife Vlada Shalutko. He has overcome many obstacles since moving to Ukraine.
“I’ve been here since 2009. I married and, as a photographer, I started documenting what was happening during the 2012 Euros Championship, then I decided to build an animal shelter and many things changed – my life changed,” he said.
At first, the shelter was only for dogs. But, he eventually allowed other animals to stay, including horses.
In an interview with Euronews, he recalled when he was targeted by “dog hunters” locating animals for a reward. At the time, the government was offering money and licenses to anyone who eradicated stray dog.
Vandals set his shelter on fire, but Cisternino wasn’t one to give up. He started all over again.
He said that he and his shelter for animal protection are now more accepted.
“Today we collaborate as a community – after three hard years I won my battle. We buy the food for the dogs nearby, we buy wood from locals,” he said. “I even started a free sterilisation campaign and many came from the village. They understood and even apologised for the behavior they had. Because they hadn’t understood until then. So it’s okay, more than anything for my animals.”
The conflict in Donbas began a few years ago. He felt the need to start accumulating provisions for the future, because he knew that anything could happen.
Cisternino, however, never imagined that a Russian invasion was possible. But it happened right in front his eyes.
“They’re shooting, unfortunately this is the situation,” he said. “Usually they start shooting at 5.00 in the morning and go on until 8.00. Then, after a while… well, it’s a bewildering situation.”
Cisternino stated that, although it’s only been a few days now, it feels like the crisis has been ongoing for six months.
When asked if he sees himself escaping eventually, Cisternino couldn’t give a definite answer.
“I don’t know, I’m staying here for my animals,” he explained. “It depends on what happens, but 400 animals is a huge number to transport anywhere, to bring them away, and to find a place for them. There are horses, cows, dogs, cats…a bit of everything.”
He also thought about the cost of the shelter and the sacrifices that he had made to keep it. Those things make it harder to leave everything behind.
“I never imagined he (Putin) could bring about this madness, because for me this is pure madness,” he said.
Cisternino was able buy some necessities for himself, which was a good thing for him.
His wife, however, is currently in Kyiv. She wants to stay there. Cisternino said she isn’t leaving her flat and is “calm.”
“For now, there’s no question of leaving, we’ve never thought about this,” he said.
Cisternino has been receiving many messages and calls since the invasion began.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ukraine’s people during this turbulent time.
