Ukraine Updates | PETA’s Global Compassion Fund

September 11, 2023

A ‘Tail’ of Two Dogs: Charik and Graf Will Live to See Another Day

The war in Ukraine had taken nearly everything from Charik and Graf.

Graf had been severely injured and could hardly walk another step when he spotted an abandoned farm and took refuge there. Exhausted and suffering from painful, infected wounds all over his body, he had collapsed in a heap when a member of PETA-funded Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK) scooped his listless body up and whisked him off to the group’s clinic.

Before tending to his infected wounds, the team carefully shaved Graf’s body to remove painfully matted fur caked with muck. He bravely tolerated the regular application of compresses to a large bruise on one of his hind paws in order to prevent fluid from building up.

Charik was left to roam the devastated streets after his guardians were killed by cluster mines.

Fortunately, a sick, elderly neighbor took him in, and when she noticed that he had been seriously injured by other dogs, she contacted ARK for help. Despite losing everything and everyone he loved, Charik is quickly learning to trust the kind clinic staff. Once he has recovered, he’ll need a loving family—which PETA Germany and ARK will help him find.

Animals in Ukraine like Charik and Graf are getting the care they need—and might never have received otherwise—thanks to donors to the GCF. Since the beginning of the war, teams supported by this fund in Ukraine have achieved the following:

• Rescued more than 12,000 animals

• Treated 80 to 100 seriously injured or sick animals every day at a GCF-supported clinic

• Provided more than 40 tons of food each month to dogs, cats, horses, and other animals in the areas that needed it most

• Moved more than 2,300 rescued animals to safety in other parts of Europe, giving each a second chance at life through partner animal shelters and organizations

• Created safe spaces for 800 animals in Kharkiv

• Performed spay/neuter surgeries on 150 rescued animals each month

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April 2023

Archie and Anna Ride Into the Sunset Together

A dog arrived at the ARK clinic by way of a soldier named Andrew, who was fighting in Vovchansk near the Russian border. He had spotted the old, blind dog—later named Archie—wandering into heavy fighting, so he rushed to pull him out of the line of fire and guide him to base. The pair grew close, but eventually Andrew learned the brigade was leaving the area, so he took his pal to ARK, where he’d be safe.

Now Archie is the most popular member of Anna’s pack. She has helped him regain partial vision in one eye by taking him to a special veterinary clinic, where the ophthalmologist inserted a special lens into the eye and is hopeful that the next surgery will fully restore its vision.

Andrew was fighting in Bakhmut when the team told him the wonderful news—which could not have come at a better time for his war-weary soul.

A Soldier’s Best Friend

During one of the most difficult days of fighting in Bakhmut, a Ukrainian soldier, Oleksandr, found a dog in the middle of the battlefield. He immediately scooped him up, named him Vuyko, and took him to base.

But when Oleksandr returned to fighting, his fellow soldiers didn’t offer Vuyko the same compassion and put him outside. Oleksandr discovered what had happened, raced to find the dog, and called ARK to come and help evacuate him.

The team of PETA–supported rescuers took Vuyko to the clinic, where he was given a clean bill of health and placed for adoption.

After Vuyko’s new family learned that he would soon be arriving, they made him a comfortable bed and had a nice warm bowl of porridge waiting for him. Now the affectionate dog runs to his heart’s content with his guardians’ energetic granddaughter, who has fallen in love with him. She tells everyone at her school that her best friend is from Bakhmut, and they listen intently to her story of the brave soldier Oleksandr and how he rescued the beloved Vuyko.

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March 2023

PETA-Supported Teams Overcome Tremendous Odds to Secure Food for 35 Skinny Horses in Ukraine

PETA Germany and partner Animal Rescue Kharkiv have overcome tremendous odds to secure food for 35 skinny horses. Three Ukrainian women rescued the abandoned equines, but the war and harsh winter weather have made finding a reliable source of straw and desperately needed nutritious food difficult. Thanks to the team’s hard work to import the provisions each month, the beautiful horses now have fresh bedding and are eating their way to healthy weights.

Orphans Care for Abandoned Animals

More Than a Year of War and Fighting Back for Animals

Don’t miss the images of the many grateful dogs and cats who rely on the team’s food deliveries to stay alive:

Thanks to the generosity of Global Compassion Fund donors, this truck—outfitted with expandable cages to transport animals safely—is in action in Ukraine.

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November 14, 2022

To the farmer who kept Argentina and Kabia in their stalls for months on end, the pair had only one purpose—to breed more horses. Because their health was declining, he decided to send them to a slaughterhouse.

Transporting large animals during a war isn’t business as usual, so when an animal rescue group in Lviv caught wind that the farmer was looking for slaughterhouse transport, it turned to the public for help. PETA Germany’s rescue team quickly stepped forward.

Neglect had taken its toll on the horses. Both were skinny and showing signs of distress, such as endlessly weaving their heads back and forth. Kabia’s fetlock joints were swollen and uncomfortable, and the team knew they needed to get these weary souls to greener pastures as soon as possible.

Finding a safe place in Ukraine is a challenge, so the rescue team knew the horses would have to be transported out of the country. They had a partner shelter in Hungary that seemed just the ticket.

But after diving into the sea of multilingual paperwork required to get the horses across the border and making a five-hour drive through the Carpathians to pick them up, the team concluded that the journey to Hungary would be too risky.

Fortunately, a partner group in Poland came through with a perfect place for Argentina and Kabia.

The team hired a professional horse transporter to make the journey as stress-free for them as possible, but the war had other plans. The veterinarian who was to certify and fill out their paperwork to send them to Poland was stuck in an air raid shelter, and the transporter backed out of the deal, fearing the journey would be too dangerous.

But PETA Germany’s rescuers were not to be deterred. After they found another transporter who was willing to do the job, the horses were carefully loaded and the team set off for Poland. However, trouble arose at the border. The Ukrainian computers were down, and the Polish veterinarian who was expected to examine the horses said he couldn’t wait for the system to come back up. In response to the team’s pleas, the veterinarian promised to return the next morning. Luckily, the transporter had plenty of hay and water for the horses. Finally the morning came, and Argentina and Kabia headed off to their new home. They’re now living happily among other rescued horses on a beautiful farm in Poland. VICTORY!

November 4, 2022

Atya was trying to survive on Kharkiv’s battle-scarred streets without anyone to help her, scavenging through garbage and other debris to find anything to fill the void in her aching stomach. And she was always on the alert—any hope of having a restful, deep sleep was long gone. Then this poor girl’s life went from awful to much worse.

When PETA Germany and its partner Animal Rescue Kharkiv met Atya amid the chaos, she was cowering in pain in a puddle of her own blood. The team scooped her up and did their best to slow the bleeding as they rushed her to a nearby clinic.

Her shoulder had been blown to bits, and the veterinarian quickly got her into surgery, cleaning out the debris and installing a metal plate. Thankfully, the procedure was a success, although Atya would have to stay in Kharkiv until she was well enough to make the trip to a shelter in Hungary.

While her physical battle scars heal, she needs emotional care to overcome the trauma she’s endured. Today, Atya is at a partner trauma center in Budapest that has been helping animals recover from the mental scars they carry. She’s in a pack now and starting to regain her confidence—each day reaching new heights in her recovery. Thanks to PETA Germany and its partners, she’s now well on her way to a better life.

Rescued!

More than 1,800 animals have been pulled from crisis areas in Ukraine and brought to safety. The work entails more than simply transporting the animals from one location to another. Teams ensure that they are given veterinary care, are vaccinated, are lovingly cared for, and wait out the required quarantine period in shelters that have all been inspected and approved by PETA Germany. Once all of the necessary paperwork and blood tests for rabies have been completed, the animals then have a chance to find a loving home through partner shelters in Germany or they’re reunited with their guardians.

The team has expanded the capacity of private animal shelters in Ukraine and Hungary, where animals wait out quarantine, creating more than 250 additional enclosures.

October 21, 2022

An injured puppy now named Boni has been rescued!

Near the border between Ukraine and Hungary, a kind person rushed a small puppy to the PETA Germany team. She was alone on the streets, wounded after being attacked by a large dog, and unable to use her back legs. Her mother had likely been homeless and without protection, with no choice but to give birth to her precious babies on the streets.

The team rushed the puppy, whom they named Boni, to the partner veterinary clinic in Hungary. A full examination revealed that none of her bones had been broken, so they treated the wound and began addressing the neurological problem causing the issue with her back legs. The team is happy to report that Boni is making progress day by day. The veterinarian is hopeful that she’ll be able to walk normally, romp around without pain, and one day be adopted into a loving home.

October 7, 2022

Six gorgeous cats are headed to Switzerland for a chance at a new life. For the first time since the war began, PETA Germany is working with partners in Switzerland to shelter rehabilitated animals from Ukraine who need loving homes.

After months of rehabilitation, the cats were finally ready for their next adventure. The team picked them up, and the caravan set off toward their new lives in mountainous Switzerland.

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August 11, 2022

In an area of heavy fighting southeast of Kharkiv, PETA Germany and its partners arranged a five-day mission to get dogs and cats out of the war-torn region and across the border into Hungary. Some of the dogs had been badly injured—for instance, Sam, who desperately needed surgery because of a wound to one of his legs.

During the mission, a missile exploded just a street away as members of a partner organization—Animal Rescue Kharkiv—were loading animals into a rescue vehicle, terrifying the animals and the humans helping them. Fortunately, they all made it safely to the border and were able to take a return shipment of topical parasite prevention and rescue carriers that they’ll help distribute to many animal shelters in need there.

Here are some of the faces of animals who have survived gunfire, missile strikes, and many other devastating manifestations of war. They’re now waiting out their quarantine periods at partner shelters in Hungary before they can be transported to Germany for adoption. (Sam is at PETA Germany’s partner animal clinic in Hungary receiving care for his leg.)

August 4, 2022

Severely emaciated and badly injured dogs and cats in hard-hit Kharkiv were in urgent need of help. Risking their lives, rescuers got them into Hungary after a high-stress daylong journey, during which the rescue vehicle was hit with shrapnel. Although everyone thankfully made it to safety, this incident serves as a harsh reminder that companion animals and humans in Ukraine are suffering and in danger every day.

While saving these animals, rescue teams received a desperate call from animal welfare workers who needed help with seven traumatized dogs who had spent days traveling in transport boxes, only to be denied admission when they reached the Polish border, even though the guardian of the dogs was present with all the necessary paperwork. PETA Germany immediately rerouted the dogs to the Hungarian border, where they were allowed to cross and spent a few days recovering and receiving veterinary treatment at one of the group’s care stations there, before being moved to a therapy center in Poland.

To help more dogs and cats in need of urgent care while being transported to safety, PETA Germany is expanding several private shelters near the Hungary-Ukraine border. So far, there are now spaces to house more than 300 dogs and cats at a time. All spaces are currently full of animals who are being cared for while waiting out their required quarantine period, and the teams are looking forward to being able to look after even more traumatized animals very soon.

July 22, 2022

Ruda and Misieck have been through so much together. After the dogs escaped terrifying fighting in eastern Ukraine, the first stop on their long journey was a rescue center in Poland, where they were quarantined, examined, microchipped, and vaccinated while PETA Germany’s rescue team secured the necessary documents to take them into Germany.

They were overjoyed to be in a foster home, and once there, the pair’s strong bond became even more apparent. Ruda is outgoing, and Misieck finds comfort in being with her when he feels anxious. Their rescuers knew that kind of friendship was too important ever to be broken, so they’ll both be moving into a new home together, where they’ll finally experience a safe and carefree life far from the horrors of war.

July 12, 2022

Since just days after Russia invaded Ukraine, PETA Germany has been working with a network of committed volunteers and organizations to rescue more than 1,650 dogs and cats—and counting! These rescues are in addition to the more than 680 metric tons of food and provisions delivered to help dogs, cats, donkeys, and horses still trapped in war zones, deliveries that will continue as long they’re needed.

Take a look at just a few of the wonderful individuals who have recently been rescued in Ukraine—their happy faces say it all!

July 8, 2022

When the Russian assault on Eastern Ukraine intensified in the city of Dnipro, PETA Germany and other animal advocates on the ground knew they needed to act quickly. After organizing successful rescue operations to evacuate animals from the cities of Lysychansk and Severodonetsk, they’d become experts at getting animals out of harm’s way—and now they would need to do it again.

The team soon searched Dnipro, finding 200 dogs and cats in need of rescue—but they couldn’t locate the fuel for the vehicles needed to drive the animals out of the city, and the driver they had engaged was called away. Refusing to give up, PETA Germany and its ally Animal Rescue Kharkiv combined their resources and linked together a chain of committed activists who could supply vehicles and fuel to move the animals—link by link—across the country to an animal shelter on the Hungarian border. Shortly after the caravan left Dnipro, the bridge they had just used to escape was bombed out, blocking access to the city. The animals were saved just in time!

Volunteers working at the shelter cried as they hugged the new arrivals and prepped them for the next leg of their journey—transport to the Global Compassion Fund–supported safe haven in Hungary. At this peaceful, open-air refuge, they’re receiving medical care, food, and plenty of affection while completing their required quarantine. All the animals will soon be ready to meet their adoptive families in neighboring countries and leave the trauma of war far behind.

July 1, 2022

PETA Germany and its partners in Ukraine face new challenges every day—but with new obstacles come new triumphs.

For Lucky, Life Was a Highway—Now, It’s a Home

A staff member at a Ukrainian partner shelter near the Hungarian border found an injured dog lying in the road. She whisked him to a veterinarian, but the prognosis wasn’t good: Three of his legs had been broken. It took several operations and no small amount of TLC from shelter staff, but the gentle dog pulled through, and he was aptly named Lucky.

© Alexandra Horvat

He will soon be on his way to Germany, where teams are working to find loving homes for more dogs like him. You can read more about his story and the lifesaving rescue work in Ukraine in this new article from PETA Germany’s Judith Pein.

Temporary Shelter Provides Permanent Relief

With help from local animal organizations, the PETA Germany team has finished construction of a temporary shelter outside Budapest that can house more than 300 animals as they complete their required quarantine before they can be transferred to shelters in Germany. The “pop-up shelter” is in a large, peaceful area where animals can heal and recuperate.

The first 20 dog evacuees are “breaking in” this haven, where they’re also receiving medical care and vaccinations as well as being spayed or neutered. Staffers caring for the dogs say that it has been inspiring to watch them overcome the trauma they’ve experienced as they befriend one another and learn to trust humans again.

June 13, 2022

At only a year old, sweet Daisy was alone in war-torn Ukraine and likely wouldn’t have lived much longer. Thanks to PETA Germany’s repeated efforts to enter a war zone, her life changed drastically for the better when rescuers scooped her up and transported her to safety in Poland, along with dozens of other cats and dogs.

After weeks of care, during which she received her vaccinations and clearance to travel, she embarked on another journey—this time to her permanent home in Belgium.

Daisy Has a Big New Family

Daisy’s new guardian describes her as smart and energetic. She loves people and is affectionate with everyone she meets. Now part of a big family, she lives with a canine brother and two sisters in her new home—and they all play and sleep together.

Her favorite pastimes are racing around the yard with her new pack (she’s fast!), tempting her new neighbor to give her treats through the fence, napping in her preferred armchair, paddling in the pond (and getting dried afterward), sleeping on her guardian’s bed with her canine brother, chewing on a squeaky pineapple toy with her puppy sister, and carrying around a fluffy yellow duck.

It’s hard to know or even imagine what she has been through, but this adorable and resilient little girl is now enjoying the life she’s always deserved.

June 6, 2022

PETA Germany has been on the ground in Ukraine since soon after the war began, working with its partners to transport more than 1,300 animals to safety and delivering over 400 tons of supplies to feed more than 100,000 cats, dogs, horses, and donkeys across the country. Most recently, the teams have been working near the Ukrainian border in Hungary to help animal shelters build the necessary infrastructure to provide up to 300 animals at a time with temporary accommodations.

Volunteering With PETA Germany to Help Animals in Ukraine

In late March, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary Director Hervé Breuil traveled from New York to meet PETA Germany’s team at the Ukrainian border in Poland. In May, the sanctuary’s shelter assistant, Brendan Lynch, followed suit and spent two weeks in Hungary, helping animals and their guardians cross the border to safety.

PETA Prime spoke with Brendan about his eventful trip and the memorable animals he encountered:

Hungary has set a strict policy that only five animals per person are allowed when crossing the border. We had no issues going into Ukraine, and Passport and Customs Control processed us quickly. The officials were nice but made sure we didn’t exceed the five animal per person policy. Crossing with animals into Hungary took longer, especially with the slower pace of the Hungarian passport and customs officers. My first trip was with Judith from PETA Germany on May 5, and together, we brought nine cats into Hungary.

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May 10, 2022

PETA Germany has worked vigorously since Russia invaded Ukraine, rescuing over 1,300 cats and dogs, reuniting refugees with their animal companions, and feeding more than 100,000 cats, dogs, horses, and donkeys across Ukraine.

PETA Germany Helps Rescue a Woman and More Cats and Dogs From War-Torn Kharkiv

Kharkiv is under constant attack and is now one of Ukraine’s worst-affected areas: Large parts of the city have been destroyed. PETA Germany volunteers and a local animal protection group braved the dilapidated city and evacuated a woman and her cats and dogs safely from her besieged hometown.

Some of the animals were injured but received the veterinary care they needed.

Meet Mira, one of the dogs rescued from Kharkiv. She’s now safe in Budapest:

Over 1,300 Ukrainian Animals Have Now Been Rescued

These dogs from Kyiv were scared and exhausted after their journey to the border, but now, they’re safe in Hungary with their human family:

Two Refugees Reunited With Their Animal Companions

PETA Germany and others reunited two Ukrainian women with their cats and dog:

After spending 10 days in an air raid shelter, Juli and her two kids fled the Kharkiv region for France. She had to make the heart-wrenching decision to leave her cats behind.

Now, after weeks of painful separation, the family is back together. Watch their emotional reunion—Juli couldn’t be happier to see her beloved cats again. After everything this family has been through, we’re thrilled that PETA Germany was able to help reunite them.

And this is Tani, a dog from Dnipro. The moment she was reunited with her grateful guardian after almost two months apart will melt your heart:

April 14, 2022

After receiving information about Ukrainian horses who urgently needed food, PETA Germany sprang into action. It’s still very cold in Ukraine, and parts of the country are still covered in snow, meaning there is no fresh grass for horses to eat.

The complex mission to get a shipment of horse food into the war-torn country took several days, but—knowing these animals would starve to death without it—the team was determined to reach them.

Now, more than 100 horses have full stomachs. PETA Germany will continue to bring them more food until the weather becomes warmer and they can eat grass.

The PETA Germany team is also providing more cats and dogs with food, too. Thanks to the group and the help of local supporters, more than 440,000 pounds of provisions have now been delivered all across the country, feeding more than 80,000 animals.

April 11, 2022

As the rescue missions continue, meet some of the brave Ukrainians who have risked their lives to save animals.

Seizing the Last Chance to Save Cats From Kyiv, Ukraine

When local activist Dara heard that a bridge in Kyiv was going to be destroyed, she quickly took action, removing 50 cats from a local animal shelter and escaping with them to Lviv. Hours later, the bridge was bombed. She used the last chance she had to evacuate the cats.

Other local activists cared for these animals until PETA Germany arrived. It took the rescue team four long trips to deliver them to safety. They crossed more than 420 miles. Now all 50 cats are free from danger.

This elderly cat is called Snezhok, which means “snowball.” He was exhausted after the long and frightening journey, but he has quickly recovered and is now resting soundly.

And this is Dymka (meaning “haze”). When the PETA Germany team rescued her, she was initially struggling to breathe, so the rescuer kept Dymka on her lap and gave her all the TLC she needed during the trip. She received immediate veterinary care upon arrival and is feeling much better.

Escaping From War in a Vegetable Box

We admire the bravery of activists from Korosten—a city in northern Ukraine that has been under heavy attack for weeks—who risked their lives to deliver cats to safety. Between shelling and bombings, four volunteers managed to take 20 cats from a local animal shelter out of the city. They put the cats in vegetable boxes and homemade wooden crates secured with ropes and wires and took them out of the war zone.

The PETA Germany team met them at the border, and now the cats are safe in Prague, where they’ll soon find permanent homes.

Young Couple Rescues Dogs From War-Torn Kyiv

A young couple rescued some of these dogs from Kyiv. It was a dangerous journey, but luckily, all these animals and their brave rescuers are safe. PETA Germany took the animals along with other Ukrainian dogs to Hungary, far from the war zone:

They’re now happy at an animal shelter run by PETA friends in Budapest.

Ukrainian Heroes Help PETA Germany Feed Hungry Cats and Dogs

Delivering and distributing food all across Ukraine remains a top priority. PETA Germany has delivered 88,000 more pounds of food for homeless animals, animals in shelters, and people who have no food for their animal companions.

It wouldn’t have been possible without the help of brave Ukrainians who are determined to feed the animals at any cost. Just look at these men—these true heroes are feeding 800 dogs and cats in their region in the middle of the war:

April 1, 2022

Since the beginning of Russia’s war in Ukraine, PETA Germany has been moving mountains to get help to those in need. In less than one month, the team has rescued nearly 1,000 animals, fed approximately 84,000 cats and dogs, and helped countless guardians flee the war-torn country with their animal companions in tow. For Bissy (below), who was rescued from a Ukraine shelter, and other animals like her who need loving guardians and a safe place to call home, PETA entities are helping to find permanent placements in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and elsewhere.

March 25, 2022

The rescue missions continue! PETA Germany rescued 44 more cats and dogs:

This week, the rescue team helped Elina (first on the left), her cat Felix, and 11 other cats flee Ukraine. Now, they’re safe in Germany.

Below is Felix with Elina’s husband, who had to stay in Ukraine. This photo was taken on the first day of the war:

Her husband, a hero to animals, is now helping PETA Germany deliver food to hungry cats and dogs all across the country. We hope he’ll be reunited with his family soon.

March 24, 2022

Every time PETA Germany goes on a mission to Ukraine, they load their vans with food so that local rescuers can feed the animals they’re caring for.

To date, the team has delivered 120 tonnes of desperately needed food for dogs and cats in Ukraine.

The team has sent food to overwhelmed locations like Kharkiv and Kyiv, where dogs and cats desperately need supplies. Some of them are still living in shelters that were partially destroyed by bombings, and staff are relying on these supplies to help keep animals alive.

March 23, 2022

The PETA Germany team is still moving mountains to get to animals in need. Meet some of those rescued from Kharkiv and recently helped by the team:

And below is Stella, who survived the bombings in her hometown as well as a dangerous 700-mile journey across Ukraine. PETA Germany helped ensure her safe entry into Poland, where she is now and where veterinarians are taking good care of her.