NESCONSET, NY — A young Afghan refugee has asked a Nesconset nonprofit for help bringing her cat to America.
The refugee, her first name Qudsia, has the chance to come to America, but does not want to leave the tiny kitten she found clinging to life behind, said Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War. The refugee could not bear to move to America without her beloved companion, Lucky, so she turned to the nonprofit for help, according to Misseri.
Qudsia reached out to Paws of War via email after she found her website, a Paws of War spokesperson told Patch.
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“This is not a typical rescue case for us, because we usually focus our efforts on helping U.S. military members,” Misseri said in a news release. “But her story was so compelling that we knew the only thing we could do was to step in and put our effort behind helping her.”
Qudsia, a Hazara woman in Afghanistan, taught young girls to read and write for the American Non-Governmental Organizations, according to Paws of War.
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“When the Taliban regained power in 2021, Qudsia endured the brutal killing of her father for being Hazara, was left to care for her sister with epilepsy and a diabetic mother, and was forced to flee her home and country to try to save their lives,” Paws of War stated.
Qudsia, who feels Lucky is like her child, will not even consider leaving him behind in Afghanistan, according to Paws of War. She has been with him since she rescued him from the streets of Pakistan on a hot summer day. She spotted Lucky, who was looking frail, in the street. Lucky was badly in need of water, food, and some loving care. She scooped him up and never looked back, she told Paws of War. The two of them have spent the last couple of years bonding and both rely upon the other. She has now been given the opportunity she has dreamt of, moving to America, according to the charity.
“Lucky has become an inseparable part of my family, bonding with my sister and mother as well,” Qudsia said, according to Paws of War’s news release. “We can’t imagine having to leave him behind to fend for himself. Leaving him behind would be like leaving behind a piece of my heart in Afghanistan when I lost my father. My dream of being in America will not be complete without being able to take Lucky with me. I am grateful for all that Paws of War can do to help make that happen.”
Qudsia potentially faces the choice of getting to America but having to leave her beloved cat behind. She reached out to Paws of War “begging for help to save her cat,” the nonprofit stated.
“Qudsia is used to hardships living in Afghanistan,” Paws of War stated. “She has often encountered discrimination as a woman, along with having to deal with unspeakable acts that go unpunished. She is also vulnerable on her long walk each day to where she teaches. The 2-and-a-half years she has spent living in this way has created financial struggles and has taken a toll on her mental health. She is ready and grateful for the opportunity to live out her dream in America. Paws of War is pulling all their resources together to get this brave girl and her cat to the USA.”
Paws of War is asking for support and donations from the community. If Qudsia and Lucky make it to America, Paws of War will help them settle in and make sure they are taken care of when they arrive at JFK, according to the charity.
Paws of War hopes Qudsia will arrive in the U.S. this week, a spokesperson said. Funds raised for Qudsia would be used to bring Lucky the cat to the U.S. and help Qudsia and Lucky with immediate needs.
“We are trying to get all of the required paperwork ready for Lucky,” the Paws of War spokesperson said. “Funding is always a challenge, and getting flights that take animals and all of the CDC and customs paperwork done is always a challenge.”
Paws of War has been operating worldwide since 2014, helping the military save the animals they rescue while deployed overseas. They have helped veterans with numerous issues, including suicide prevention, service and support dogs, companion cats and dogs, food insecurity, veterinary care, and more.
Paws of War is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists military members and their pets, rescues and trains dogs in being service dogs, and provides companion animals to veterans.
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