Arwa had to leave war torn Syria when their home was bombed.
Reunited…and it feels so good When the war in Syria ripped their world apart, Arwa Omaren thought she would never see her beloved dog, Jacko again. As a refugee without any financial backing, Arwa’s dreams of getting her dog to the UK seemed unlikely to ever be fulfilled, but then War Paws – a charity that helps reunite soldiers with dogs they rescue overseas – got involved and three years later, Jacko a five year-old, white Golden Retriever, has been reunited with Arwa.
R
eaders may recall the article on War Paws which highlighted the plight of refugee, Arwa and Jacko, the dog she had to leave behind when she left her war-torn country of Syria. Thirty-five-year-old Arwa had studied to become an actress in Damascus, but the war brought her career to an abrupt end and her life was
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turned upside down. Arwa had to leave Syria when their home was bombed. She went with other refugees to Lebanon, leaving Jacko behind with her family. Later, she headed to the UK, enduring a dreadful journey and experiencing the treachery of people smugglers before reaching the UK and claiming asylum.
After her family headed to Turkey, War Paws found temporary shelter for Jacko with an animal rescue in Lebanon while his vaccinations and travel arrangements were made, and War Paws fundraised to cover these costs. Arwa has been getting her life back on track in the UK. She is living in London, speaks excellent English, and she has been doingwork experience
