Our brand-new partnership to help animals in Ukraine is launched
Save the Dogs' efforts to assist animals in Ukraine continue into 2024 with a new project partner, an organization called the Ukrainian Veterinary Medicine Foundation (UVMF), founded by the Ukrainian Association of Small Animal Veterinarians (USAVA), which is supported by the American Vet foundation.
Starting in May, we launched a new partnership that provides continuity to the outreach program which we first started two years ago
There is always a long line of people waiting outside veterinary clinics in Ukraine. Some people are literally carrying their dogs in their arms. Others have brought their cats in a carrier, wanting to check that their pet is in good shape. All of them are waiting their turn to have their pets spayed or neutered.
Starting in May, we launched a new partnership that provides continuity to the outreach program which we first started two years ago. This includes a sterilization and food distribution initiative to help the thousands of animals in Ukraine that are having to survive all alone out on the streets, as well as the many people behind the scenes who are still quietly taking care of them.
Our collaboration with USAVA is underway
To maximize the effects of our work, we are partnering with the Ukrainian Small Animal Veterinary Association, known as USAVA, which brings together several clinics and veterinary practices across the country.
In Izmail, the number of cats on the streets is overwhelming
Our project spans the cities of Odessa, Izmail, Kharkiv, and Kherson, all strategically selected locations where we wish to address the severe issue of stray dogs and cats. In Izmail, for example, the number of cats on the streets is overwhelming, a fact we have been able to witness firsthand during our local missions over the past two years.
Kherson, meanwhile, has sadly been all too often in the news due to the destruction of the Kakhovka dam last year. It is located in the west of the country, where the conflict is still ongoing.
Why there are so many animals roaming the streets in Ukraine
After the war broke out, many people fled the country but had to leave their pets behind. Being left free to roam the streets, they then began to reproduce in uncontrollable numbers. This has exacerbated a situation of stray animals that was already severe before the conflict began and has only worsened.
The majority of the animals who are roaming have not been sterilized
After an initial period of adjustment, during which we assessed the local situation and the options open to us for assistance, we began sending tons of food to Ukraine to enable these animals to survive on the streets. We also took in 30 dogs at our shelter in Cernavoda in Romania that had previously been residents at a sanctuary that had been bombed. Most of these dogs have now been adopted.
We subsequently set up a pilot sterilization program with some local partners, which is now undergoing an evolution in the form of our partnership with USAVA.
The majority of the animals who are homeless have not been sterilized, and without targeted action there is a huge risk that their numbers will further increase. The puppies that have been born are destined for a life of suffering: not only are they in areas where the conflict is still ongoing, but many cities have been completely abandoned, leaving the dogs completely helpless and destitute.
For 2024, we aim to sterilize, microchip, and vaccinate 3,200 animals to combat the concerning spread of rabies in the country. We’ll continue to update you and share the stories of the dogs and cats we meet along the way.