Since the war in the Ukraine began, more than 12 million Ukrainian people have been displaced, and while some were able to bring their animals with them, countless people were forced to leave their family pets roaming the streets in search of food and shelter. A leader of a Ukrainian animal welfare charity recently stated that there are more companion animals roaming the streets of Ukraine now than ever in history.

Because many Ukrainian men have been drafted, most of the people taking care of abandoned pets and street animals are women, children, and the elderly. Although most of them have not earned money since the crisis began and they live in constant fear of attacks, they risk their lives every day to feed and care for animals in need.

Save the Dogs and Other Animals began their aid to Ukraine with a few partners based near the border with Romania, especially Odessa and Izmail, where Save The Dogs is primarily based. As the war continues, they are rapidly expanding their impact and their outreach now comprises a broad area of Ukraine including Kharkiv in the northeast, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kherson behind the Russian front line. The close partnerships they have developed with animal shelters, volunteers and others who feed dogs and cats in the streets, are invaluable for them to understand the constantly changing situation on the ground and enables them to adapt and maximize their impact.

With financial support from OAT and other donor organisations, Save the Dogs and Other Animals are feeding thousands of abandoned dogs and cats, helping refugees travel with their pets and rescuing dogs from shelters damaged by a Russian attack. Their food distribution alone has incredible impact preventing thousands of abandoned cats and dogs wandering the streets as well as animals in shelters from starvation. They send a truck full of food every two weeks to more than 30 direct partners who distribute it further to more than 400 volunteer feeders and to date has sent 244 tons of dog and cat food across the border.

Save the Dogs has made a long-term commitment to the animals of Ukraine.

What Save the Dogs does

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• Provides life-saving support for over 4,000 animals, including cats and dogs, that have been left behind in Ukraine

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• Supports stray dogs in Italy and Romania through feeding & neuter programs, shelters, education & rehoming

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• Improves donkey and horse welfare in Romaina

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• Lobbying the Parliament and the European Commission to develop a legal framework with guidelines for member countries in order to guarantee greater protection for EU dogs and cats

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• Funding to support programmes that provide food and shelter for displaced dogs and cats in Ukraine due to the war

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