The crisis in Ukraine has been steadily intensifying.

Over the past few weeks, the crisis in Ukraine has been steadily intensifying. Drones and missiles have mainly targeted civilian infrastructures, and given the hazardous state of affairs, many animals are being abandoned by their fleeing owners. 

Faced with the tragedy of war and due to the difficulties of obtaining even basic necessities, many people can no longer cope with taking care of their pets and see no other solution but to abandon them. This is exactly what happened to Akella, a young dog who was left terrified and starving for days on end. One of our partners in Odessa told us: “He was tethered with a leash to a tree in a part of a forest where no people passed by”. Time was running out for Akella and without help he would definitely have died within a couple of days.

Fortunately, a man who was walking in the area spotted him and set him free. When he arrived at our partner’s shelter he was in a pitiful condition and severely undernourished. He could barely remain upright. Thanks to the emergency treatment he received he has managed to survive, but he will need further care in order to make a full recovery.  

Sadly, not all animals are as lucky as Akella. Many remain on the streets and, despite the attacks, are managing to survive in dreadful conditions. We are currently sending more than 60 kennels for them and hundreds of jackets and blankets to keep them warm during the winter, as well as food and anti-parasite treatments.

Lyudmila, the manager of the Loving Heart shelter in Odessa, wrote to us: “It is becoming impossible for us to feed all the starving dogs on the streets. Many puppies have already died because their mothers do not have enough milk to feed them. We desperately need your help, please. Sometimes puppies and kittens are abandoned right in front of volunteers’ houses and shelters, which are already full to bursting.”

During the intense attacks of recent weeks, many volunteers have remained in shelters or bunkers, while others have risked their lives to feed the many starving dogs and cats. Our partners have stayed in touch with us constantly to update us on the latest events, despite the shortage of electricity, internet and water. It has been a relief to learn that they are safe and to receive their messages, even very brief ones, because it is not always possible for them to charge their phones. The most common feedback we get is “We are safe today, and just hope for the best tomorrow”.

Thanks to the support of our donors, our partners and volunteers are assisting as many animals as possible. Save the Dogs has so far sent 264 tons of food to help keep them alive and we will continue to send essential goods to allow them to cope with the winter months.