Khabib’s journey from Ukraine to England took a lot longer than the rest of his family’s, and when they were finally reunited he ignored them for days.
This upset Liliya Kryvolap, as she had missed him terribly during the weeks they were apart.
But, because Khabib is a German Shepherd, Liliya couldn’t explain to him why they’d been separated or how he’d come to be left in isolation.
Liliya, 45, and her three children, Artur, 21, Karolina, 19, and Lev, 15, arrived in the UK on April 29 after being forced to flee their war-torn homeland.
They left Khabib in France, where he was taken to Canterbury, Kent, and put into a Dogs Trust quarantine centre while he had his rabies tests.
After weeks he was released and once Khabib slowly warmed up to his new surroundings in Limpsfield, Surrey, he stopped harbouring a grudge.
“I guess it was his way of saying ‘thanks for everything you’ve put me through Mum!’ but it wasn’t long before all was forgiven,” explains Liliya. “He hasn’t left my side since.”
However, Khabib is still not allowed to leave their cottage until it is certain he doesn’t have rabies, a disease that is common in Ukraine.
Being stuck inside with Liliya and the children is nothing new for the family pet. Months earlier, as the first bomb hit their town of Chernihiv, the family retreated into a small cellar used for storage beneath their barn.
In the cramped 13ft by 13ft space, there were 15 family members including Liliya’s sister, nephew and Artur’s girlfriend. There were also three cats, a hamster and Khabib.
“Every time the sirens sounded we raced to the cellar. Khabib thought it was a game,” explains Liliya.
“Until three massive bombs hit our city sports stadium, 1.5km from our house. The impact was so enormous it levitated us. It was petrifying.”
The bombing was so relentless that from February 24 to March 13 they stayed in the cellar, day and night.
After three weeks in hiding, it became clear the Russians were closing in. A friend who was going to the frontline gave Liliya a car, which she persuaded Artur to drive with his siblings and others towards the border. “The day after Artur left, I heard of a family whose car was hit by the shelling,” she says.
“Artur and the children were due to have travelled along the same stretch of road that very same day but I had insisted that they leave a day early. Someone was looking after us.”
The children hid in a church in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, while Liliya drove to meet them with Khabib, another dog and a cat.
Once reunited with her kids, she made the hard choice to flee Ukraine, leaving behind her elderly mother.
Liliya drafted a Facebook post with the help of Ukrainian in England and was inundated with offers, one of which was from her sponsor Amanda, who offered the family a cottage on a farm in Limpsfield, Surrey.
After sorting out visas and Khabib’s dog licence, the family headed to Coquelles, France, and handed over their pet to Dogs Trust. Liliya says: “It was so painful but I knew we had to follow the quarantine process.
“We obviously missed Khabib desperately but the Dogs Trust sent us updates to say he was fine.
The family are settling into their new life as well as they can. Liliya says: “I can’t wait until Khabib completes home isolation. I can take him for walks in the countryside.”
