The "Hachiko of Makariv": the tragic story of an Akita dog in Ukraine who refuses to leave his home

Reeny is a brave dog who has shown extreme loyalty. Reeny is an Akita Inu who lived in Ukraine with his owner. The dog has been nicknamed the "Hachiko of Makariv".

By Emilie Heyl

Published on the 20/04/2022 09:00, Updated on the 03/05/2022 17:55

Reeny, an Akita dog, has become a symbol of war. This tragic story was relayed on social media by Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Reeny is now called the "Hachiko of Makariv" by the local media.

This is Reeny, 9 years old. Her human Tetiana we wrote about was brutally murdered. Reeny doesn't know and still waits for her. No one took care of Reeny during the month of occupation. Now looking for kind hands who will help her recover.#GenocideOfUkrainians pic.twitter.com/l3SzIXn6Ff
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 10, 2022

Who is Hachiko?

Hachiko, of the same breed as Reeny, was the dog of a professor at a University.

Every morning he accompanied his owner to Shibuya station in Tokyo and returned to wait for him in the evening. But when his owner died of a heart attack at work in 1925, Hachiko continued to go to the station to wait for his owner until his own death on the street ten years later in 1935. This dog has become Japan's most famous dog for his dedication.

What is Reeny’s story?

In Makariv, Ukraine, Reeny waited for his owner at the door of his house. But he did not know that his owner had died. Several people tried to help the dog, but he refused to follow anyone. He wanted to be there when his owner returned.

All the while, people came to bring him food and the dog slept outside the house.

Until Anton Gerashchenko, the adviser to the Ukrainian Minister of the Interior, tweeted about him. On the 11th of April, a friend of his owner went to his former home and the dog agreed to follow her.

Do you remember Reeny? Thank you all for your kind comments! Today my friend Olena visited her. Relatives of the deceased Tetiana were found and are ready to take Reeny in. It’s dangerous for her to stay in her yard - the garage next door is still mined.#StandUpForUkraine pic.twitter.com/JyLzAvpdGc
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 11, 2022

On the 13th of April, the Minister tweeted that Reeny had moved into his new home and had become friends with the family dog who is also an Akita Inu.

Finding a stray dog: How to act and what to do

Good news! Akita Reeny from Makarov has found a new home and her people. Her owner's name is Nadezhda. The family knows how to take care of this breed, as they already have an Akita boy and they became friends with Reeny ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XXOWB3QOFs
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) April 13, 2022