I am fundraising for my friend Helena Minenok. She fled Ukraine and had to start her life from scratch in Canada, but the one thing that kept her going through the darkest days is a tiny, 2 lbs companion: her ferret, Ayrish. He was refused the entry to Canada and upon his forced return to Poland he faced a death treat. Helena is heartbroken, she spent thousands of dollars on fees, certifications and cargo flights. She is fighting to return Ayrish to Canada, but she has exhausted her funds and feels hopeless. I decided to help her save Ayrish’s life and reunite him with his loving family because I love animals and hate bureaucracy. Please help us to win this case!

Helena’s story

The Journey of a Lifetime, The Heartbreak of a Lifetime

Ayrish and I survived things no one should have to endure. We huddled together in cold bomb shelters, stood for 14 hours in the crowded vestibules of evacuation trains, and made a grueling, 24-hour trek on foot into Poland—all without the ability to truly rest, warm up, or find proper food. Our goal was Canada, under the refugee program, where we finally believed we could be safe.

After a year of struggle, the visa came, but a technicality—my passport had expired—prevented me from completing Ayrish's necessary permit on time, so he stayed behind in Europe. I eventually reached Canada, but my heart was still across the ocean.

The Agony of a Failed Rescue

I spent a year painstakingly saving every dollar to pay for Ayrish's cargo flight to join me from a temporary foster home in Europe. But the journey was shattered by a tragic error. Due to a violation of the permit rules by the company handling the transport in Europe, Irish was refused entry to Canada and immediately sent back from Toronto Pearson airport.

I was not even allowed to see him. I begged to have him placed in quarantine, as all his vaccinations and health documents were in perfect order. Instead, my little 900-gram soldier endured the trauma of a non-stop return flight, only to land in another nightmare.

In Poland, a place we thought was safe, he was cruelly threatened with euthanasia because Canada did not provide a new health document upon his immediate return.

The Urgent Call to Action

Today, Ayrish is trapped. He is held in an isolation unit at a Polish airport, a small, innocent life caught in a web of bureaucracy and legal complexity. He has suffered unimaginable stress from being flown across the world twice and confined in unfamiliar surroundings.

We are fighting for him, but I have run out of resources.

I need to raise 5000 CAD immediately to cover three critical needs:

1. Legal Representation: To hire a specialized animal law attorney to navigate the international legal requirements and formally challenge his forced return and prevent any further harm.

2. Quarantine & Care: To cover the ongoing costs of his professional care and isolation in Poland while we secure his legal right to travel.

3. Final Transport: To ensure a safe, legally compliant, and humane second flight to Canada, complete with all necessary permits and health checks.

Will you help me bring my little sunshine, Ayrish, home?

He is the reason I survived. Now, I need your help to ensure he survives this. Every dollar brings us one step closer to ending his isolation and reuniting our little family in safety.