As Croatia marks the anniversary of 'Operation Storm,' a story from Serbia emerges about a dog that traveled from Petrinja to Ruma over 139 days, showing loyalty that transcends human tragedy.
As Croatia marks the anniversary of the military-police operation "Operation Storm" on August 5, 2026, in Serbia and the Republika Srpska, this date is observed with sorrow and remembrance for the Serbs expelled from Krajina. It is from this context that the Serbian portal Kurir.rs revives a story that captivates with its universal message. It is about a female dog named Dena, who after the 1995 operation, traversed an almost unimaginable distance to return to her family.
The story was shared on social media by user Kristina Iglendža and was also detailed by the Facebook page "Povest Srba." It tells of the Radanović family, who received Dena from neighbors back in 1991 in Petrinja. The dog quickly became an inseparable member of the family, especially attached to the boy Goran and the girl Tatjana.
During "Operation Storm" in 1995, the Radanović family was forced to leave their home in Petrinja. In the chaos and haste, Dena was left behind. The family arrived in Ruma, Serbia, in a refugee column, convinced they would never see their pet again. However, the dog set off after them.
According to the post, Dena began the journey of over 500 kilometers alone, without any sense of direction. Her path led from Croatia, through Bosnia, all the way to Serbia. She passed through ruined villages, forests, and fields, swam across rivers, went hungry, and was injured. The journey lasted a full 139 days.
The climax of this incredible story occurred on December 22, 1995. In front of the house in Ruma where the Radanović family was staying, a child's cry was heard: "Mom, Dena has come back!" Before them stood an exhausted, wounded, and frostbitten dog, but one look was enough for everyone to realize she had come home.
The Facebook page "Povest Srba" movingly described this moment: "There, in one embrace of a boy, a girl, and a dog, more history stood than in many books. And more love than in many human souls. For us, it is living proof that loyalty has a face, a name, and a path five hundred kilometers long."
In Ruma, Dena gave birth to five puppies, and later, she went to Canada with the Radanović family, where she lived out the rest of her life in peace. Her ashes are still kept by the family as a precious memory.
The story of Dena, although published on the Serbian portal Kurir.rs and carrying a strong narrative tied to the memory of the expelled Serbs from Krajina, is a universal tale of loyalty. For Croatian readers, it serves as a reminder of the human fates and tragedies that marked wartime events, but also of the incredible power of devotion that can overcome even the most difficult circumstances.
