Refugee Fleeing Taliban Desperate To Save Her Cat Asks Paws of War For Help

Persecuted Young Woman Who Dedicated Her Life to Helping Afghan Women Pleading for Her Cats Life

NESCONSET, New York – (July 30, 2024) – In the scorching heat a young Afghan refugee finds a tiny kitten clinging to life. Two desperate souls found by fate give each other hope and healing. Qudsia now has the chance to come to America. It was a dream come true for her, until she realized she would have to leave her beloved cat behind. The thought of doing so was something she couldn't bear to imagine, so she reached out to Paws of War to enlist their help in getting her rescued cat Lucky to the USA to be with her.

“This is not a typical rescue case for us, because we usually focus our efforts on helping US military members,” says Robert Misseri the co-founder of Paws of War. “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.”

Life does not get much harder than being a Hazara woman in Afghanistan, teaching young girls to read and write for an American NGO. 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.

Feeling that Lucky is like her child, she cannot even consider leaving him behind in Afghanistan. She has been with him since she rescued him from the streets of Pakistan on a hot summer day. Spotting the frail kitten in the street that was badly in need of water, food, and some loving care, she scooped him up and never looked back. 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. 

“Lucky has become an inseparable part of my family, bonding with my sister and mother as well. We can't imagine having to leave him behind to fend for himself,” said Qudsia. “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.”

Only hope, a dream and a tiny kitten found dying in the street named Lucky kept the family going and finding the will to go on. Now with a once in a lifetime opportunity to be brought to safety in the USA, this brave woman may be forced to make the heart-breaking choice of getting to America, but having to leave her cat, her best friend behind. She reached out to Paws of War begging for help to save her cat.

Qudsia is used to hardships living in Afghanistan. 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 two and 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, and they are asking for community support. If they make it to America, Paws of War will help them settle in and make sure they are taken care of upon arrival at JFK.

To help support the quest to get Lucky to America to be with Qudsia, visit the site at: https://pawsofwar.org/?form=Qudsia

Paws of War has a large loyal following of supporters and looks forward to working with new corporate sponsors to support these life-saving programs. To donate to help their mission, visit its site at http://pawsofwar.org. 

About Paws of War

Paws of War is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that assists military members and their pets, rescues and trains dogs to be service dogs, and provides companion animals to veterans and first responders. To learn more about Paws of War and the programs provided or donate, visit its site at http://pawsofwar.org.