London, 21 December 2022 – Global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS has partnered with Ukranian office of the Small Animal Veterinary Association (USAVA), an umbrella organisation uniting and providing for small animal veterinary practices across the country.

Together they will help in re-opening veterinary clinics, to take care of pets and strays, and provide vaccinations, sterilizations and other medical treatments. In the first phase of the program this December,  600 dogs and cats will be sterilized and vaccinated.

At the moment the focus lies on the three most affected Ukrainian cities by the war: Mykolayiv, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia.

The 24th December will mark ten months since Russia started its relentless war against Ukraine. Not only has this created millions of displaced families across Europe and Ukraine, but also a vast amount of homeless animals. Many courageous veterinarians stayed behind to ensure that these stray animals were looked after and protected.  

Manuela Rowlings, Head of Stray Animal Care (SAC) in Europe at FOUR PAWS, says: “The collaboration comes in a crucial moment, with the winter looming over Europe, intensifying  the daily struggle for humans and animals alike. Without any shelter stray dogs and cats account for the most vulnerable creatures. A key asset of the program is also that it reaches out to local shelters and volunteers who take care of strays and let them know which clinics they can bring animals for free treatments.”

Efforts of food delivery in the cold continues

Since March 2022, Ukrainian Pet Association Worldwide (UPAW), a platform established by FOUR PAWS together with partners, has taken care of the distribution of more than 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid, which has helped more than 110,000 dogs and cats.

During the last days an emergency feeding of stray dogs and cats has been carried out in the city of Mykolayiv and neighbouring region Kershon, in the Southern part of Ukraine – one of the most shelled areas in recent months. 24 tonnes of food could be delivered which helped to the feeding of many malnourished strays that are roaming the bombed streets.

Rowlings adds: “We were in the midst of setting up a sustainable dog population project in Mykolayiv, when the invasion started. Until then we worked in a stationary veterinary clinic and by February we were able to sterilize 1,000 dogs. Now the city has become one of the most bombed cities in Ukraine. It is good that we are back to deliver the urgently needed help.”