Ukraine
Animal Charities in the Ukraine
All our thoughts and prayers are with the people and animals of the Ukraine. To those in the shelters and rescues, thank you for doing what you’re doing to look after the animals. Things are changing fast as everyone in surrouding countries and further afield scrambles to help and lend a paw. There are desperately sad reports of animal shelters being hit and animals losing their lives, along with some amazing people who stayed to care for them and also who were taking or had just taken food and supplies to rescues. Please everyone stay safe. We are thinking of you all xxx
If you want to adopt an animal from these charities, please check their Facebook pages/websites to see what help they need. The situation in Ukraine is changing too quickly and frequently to post here, so the best thing is to visit their websites and social media pages and keep up to date with their needs that way.
Please remember that those involved in rescue in Ukraine are often working in exceptionally dangerous circumstances – as Warriors of Wildlife says, they could be killed at any moment as they head into the conflict areas with incoming artillery, drones and missiles at any given moment. They all deserve our support and prayers.
They need help URGENTLY to buy pet food to get to the animals and an FPV drone jammer which will protect them from drones at a distance of 150-200m. (The jammer sends out a signal disrupting the frequency the drones use and it simply drops out of the sky. A system costs about $4000 and its portable - this means it can be swapped between vehicles and even mounted on accommodation. They desperately need wet cat food and parasite treatment for these homeless animals. Please donate here
Breaking the Chains
Breaking the Chains have a shelter in Ukraine (they are also busy with rescue work in Gaza), and their Ukraine shelter is desperately short of funds and it urgently needs our support to keep it running. Please support if you can by making a one-off donation or a monthly one, and participate in Giving Tuesday on 3rd December, through a platform such as Benevity, as many companies are offering charitable giving initiatives. You can also help by spreading the word.
Since 2016, UAnimals has been promoting the humane treatment of animals and working to protect them from exploitation and abuse. And now, with the war, they are focused on rescuing animals from war zones and temporarily occupied territories. They are bringing food to animals, and evacuating as many as they can, regardless of the difficulties posed by the weather, shelling or destroyed roads. Their Patreon page is here and you can donate through other means including Paypal ([email protected]). Their Facebook page has information on other ways to donate. They take wild animals to Natalia Popova and UAnimals Wild Animal Rescue Center for examination, and where needed, treatment/rehabilitation. They’ve rescued and helped snakes, horses, cats, dogs…. They give regular updates on the work they are doing and it is inspiring. Please visit their Facebook page to find out what they are doing to help.
Shelter Friend is a non-profitable charity organisation & rehab centre for homeless animals and they desperately need help and support. Please Visit their Facebook page to find out about donating, including through Paypal
ROLDA
ROLDA exists "to #givehope to neglected, abused animals and people who care about them. Our primarily focus is rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animls in need, as well as providing aid to poor communities & others rescuers in Romania and since the war started, also in Ukraine." Visit their Facebook page
PETA 's Global Compassion Fund has updates on their work in Ukraine (you may need to scroll down the page when you click through).
Smiling Terrier Rescue
There's also a GoFundMe appeal to help Smiling Terrier Rescue in Ukraine. Helena Von Leben runs the rescue with the help of a friend. The dogs need veterinary treatment and of course to be kept fed and warm over winter. Find out more about the appeal here.
ZOOS AND SANCTUARIES
Feldman Park in east Ukraine - Visit their Facebook page here (you can use Google Translate to translate). Their website says the park is being revived.
Kyiv Zoo Please visit their Facebook page for updates. Find out how to donate and support the zoo here.
The EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) has an emergency appeal for Ukrainian zoos and updates (scroll down the page when you click through). Funds raised will be used to ensure that the EAZA's Ukrainian colleagues receive the assistance they need when it is best able to support them. Thus far, over 2 million euros have been donated from individuals and EAZA members and other organisations. There’s a list of the Ukrainian zoos they are helping here (you need to scroll down)
12 Months Zoo near Kyiv (Demydiv) - help got through and Breaking the Chains have an incredible story about how Tom sat with gorilla John (bars between them) and a keeper gave John his banana. John immediately offered half the banana to Tom. The zoo is trying to make sure all the animals are kept fed and warm.
The White Rock Bear Shelter has four bears and one wolfdog hybrid live. please visit their Facebook page for more updates. It looks as though the White Bear Shelter is open again, from their Facebook page (30 May 2024)
For bat lovers, take a look at the Ukranian Bat Rehibilitation Centre and their Facebook page here. Visit them on Instagram
Four Paws Bear Sanctuary Domazhyr - Four Paws have 27 rescued bears at their sanctuary in Western Ukraine - it's a project by Four Paws International Visit them on Facebook:
This Facebook group Ukranian Rescue Appeal has a whole huge amount of information with help for those fleeing Ukraine and more. They have info about individual animals about needing help, requests for transport (not necessarily within the Ukraine) and people willing to help or help needed requests.
Shelter Ugolyok
This is a rescue farm saving animals from Ukraine’s slaughterhouses. Visit them on Instagram and Facebook
Nowzad are also helping in Ukraine, and you can Find out more and donate here
Please also check out Help Animals Ukraine
HORSES
There's the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation Charity Foundation who are reigstered in Belgium and who are aiming to help the Ukrainian equestrian community during the crisis. There are over 100,000 horses in Ukraine and many have been caught up in the war with no opportunity to flee and seek safety, and without shelter and care. The Foundation is working hard to help, and give these horses the hope of a better future. Donations of food, hay, bedding, rugs, and all sorts of things to help the horses can be made. You can donate here. Their website is here
I will keep adding more as I find them.
All prayers and thoughts are with the people and animals of the Ukraine, and that includes the wildlife who will inevitably suffer as well as a result of such destruction.