Before the conflict, there were an estimated 200,000 stray dogs and possibly more stray cats in the streets of Ukraine. The war has further exacerbated this issue, with thousands more dogs and cats abandoned by their owners. This number has put an immense strain on local shelters, which were already struggling before the outbreak of war. The number of animals brought to shelters has increased rapidly, with shelters in frontline areas increasing by 100% or more. Additionally, many of these shelters have seen a significant lack of donations due to the mass migration of Ukranians. As a result, shelters have inadequate amounts of medicine, veterinary care, food, and even heating during the winter. Despite this, many organizations across the globe have focused efforts in Ukraine to support these animals.
One of many global organizations providing relief in Ukraine, the IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) has partnered with many local organizations in Ukraine to help these animals. Their aid has included supplying local shelters with supplies and veterinary care, rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals, and reuniting pets with their families. One of their primary forms of support has included purchasing and distributing pet supplies and providing relief veterinarians to Ukrainian animal shelters. They have also worked with local partners to reunite pets and owners separated due to the war. Additionally, they have worked on reducing and rehoming abandoned animals. They have been able to evacuate them from shelters, breeding facilities, private ownership, and several other places affected by the war. Through their efforts, they have helped nearly 192,000 animals in Ukraine between February 2022 and June 2024.
Another organization continuing to offer support to Ukraine is Four Paws. Since 2012, Four Paws has focused on providing free veterinary care to abandoned and stray animals in collaboration with the Ukrainian Veterinary Medicine Foundation, or UVMF. Through their partnership, they have set up two clinics in Zaporizhzhia and Irpin (near Kyiv) that provide animals with complimentary care. Between August 2024 and October 2024, they have already treated more than 2,000 cats and dogs. In addition, they are working to assist the Ukrainian government in creating a nationwide database of microchipped pets to reunite more animals with their owners.
Our initiative, Paws of Promise, focuses on raising awareness for animals in various humanitarian crises. Look out for our future Voice of Frisco articles and follow our Instagram, @pawsofpromistx, for more information.
Work Cited
“Ifaw Rushes Emergency Help to Animals in Ukraine.” IFAW, 24 Sept. 2024, www.ifaw.org/news/emergency-aid-ukraine.
“Research: How War Affected Animal Shelters in Ukraine.” Save Pets of Ukraine, 1 Feb. 2023, www.savepetsofukraine.kormotech.com/en/post/research-how-war-affected-animal-shelters-in-ukraine.VIER. “Stray Animal Care in Ukraine.” FOUR PAWS International – Animal Welfare Organisation, VIER PFOTEN International – gemeinnützige Privatstiftung, 2024, www.four-paws.org/campaigns-topics/topics/help-for-stray-animals/stray-animal-care-in-ukraine. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.