Netflix’s ‘Dogs’ series brings a new light to the connection people have with their dogs. Varying from episodes tackling service dogs to an astronaut’s relationship with his beloved canines, the series shows many human-dog relationships we’d never otherwise consider.
In the second episode of the first series, we get to see the life of Ayham, a Syrian refugee, and his beloved Siberian Husky, Zeus. Picked due to being the bullied runt of the litter, Zeus quickly bonded to Ayham.
Keeping His Only Comfort in Netflix’s ‘Dogs’
This episode of Netflix’s ‘Dogs’ opens with Ayham living without Zeus. Ayham fled Syria 2 years prior. To be able to leave, Ayham had to make the impossibly hard decision to leave his dog behind. Now living in Berlin, Germany, studying web design, Ayham wants to get Zeus home. At the beginning of the episode, Zeus resides with Ayham’s best friend, Amer, who still lives in Syria.
Amer is trying to leave Syria, too – making Zeus’s need to return to Ayham even more dire. Ayham gets help from a woman named Rawa, who runs the rescue organization Animals Syria. Rawa’s colleague, Bishr, agrees to help smuggle Zeus across the Lebanon border, along with Amer and Ayham’s former roommate, Naji.
While the attempt to get Zeus across is nerve-wracking, the team succeeds, in part due to Zeus’s charming appearance. The original plan is to have Naji fly with Zeus the rest of the way, but the dog isn’t allowed to board; Rawa’s friend Coco comes to the rescue, completing the rest of the journey with Zeus in tow.
While getting Zeus home was a difficult, sometimes terrifying process, there’s no doubt that Ayham deserves to have his best friend safely at his side for the rest of his life.
In Case of Disaster – Keeping Your Dogs With You
Most of us will never have to experience the horrors of a war-stricken country that Ayham and Zeus survived. Zeus’s placement with Amer was unavoidable, and the best thing for him in that situation. However, evacuation with a pet is still a challenge many of us will face at some point. Whether it’s a threat from a natural disaster, a gas leak, or any other scary but common occurrence, put a plan in place for your pet’s safety.
Make a plan for your pet’s safety if you want to evacuate with them. Have a crate and slip lead available to remove your dog safely. Put aside an emergency supply of your pet’s food, any current medications, and/or calming treats that may help your dog keep from panicking in a new, scary situation. You may want to consider also making a doggie emergency kit, with medical supplies in case of injury. Whatever your evacuation plan is, always keep on hand your local emergency vet’s number.
