Ukraine Updates | PETA’s Global Compassion Fund

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Rescued Dog! Kolyasik Makes Stunning Transformation in Ukraine

Not long ago, a dog named Kolyasik was at death’s door. He could barely hold his emaciated body upright, and a severe case of red mange left his skin raw and his hair falling out in clumps. While he was desperately searching for food, shrapnel struck his leg. Thankfully, a kind Ukrainian soldier spotted him hobbling through a war zone on his front legs, scooped him up, gave him shelter, and then called on PETA-supported rescuers to save his life. You won’t want to miss this sweet boy’s fantastic transformation:

Here’s how teams have moved mountains for animals in Ukraine since the onset of the war:

  • They’ve created 1,300 safe spaces for housing animals in need, including dogs, cats, horses, sheep, goats, chickens, pigeons, geese, ducks, swans, and fish.
  • PETA’s Global Compassion Fund helped establish a veterinary clinic in October 2022. Up to 130 seriously injured and ill animals can be operated on and given the best possible care every day.
  • Every month, team members perform spay/neuter surgeries for around 150 animals to prevent thousands from being born on the streets, only to suffer and die there.
  • Animals in Ukraine have received more than 3 million pounds of food and other provisions, despite conditions that often make deliveries difficult.
  • All the animals in the project receive regular veterinary care. The ones who will be transported to Europe for adoption are quarantined and prepared for the journey in accordance with EU regulations. This takes 16 weeks per animal! Around 60% of the animals are reunited with their guardians who have fled, while the remaining 40% are transported to our partner shelters in Europe.
  • Every day, 85 PETA-supported employees work on site to care for the animals there and rescue others.
  • A total of 15,450 animals have been rescued so far!

Their Houses Went Up in Smoke After Bombs Hit—Here’s What Happened Next

Daring PETA-supported rescuers are saving every animal they can near the embattled village of Luhivka, just 2 miles from the Russian border. Watch as they risk it all to evacuate a terrified dachshund named Timosha and dozens of other animals trapped on the front lines.


Rescued in Ukraine: How PETA Is Helping Animals

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, PETA Germany and its partners have been building a robust network of animal rescuers, volunteers, and advocates to help as many animals there as they possibly can. You can support this work through PETA’s Global Compassion Fund.

Read More March 2024 Updates
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Rescued From the Rubble! Team in Ukraine Swoops In to Save 30 Animals After Bombing

In one bombed-out area in Ukraine, the houses were barely standing. Watch as PETA-supported rescuers navigate the dangerous terrain to save more than two dozen animals.


Manya Rescued From a Snowdrift in Ukraine: Watch Her Jaw-Dropping Recovery

Watch Manya’s tale. This beloved girl went from hopeless to hopeful, thanks to a PETA-supported clinic.


Rescuers in Ukraine Helped Tsunami Weather the Storm—You Should See Her Now!

Beneath the burns and shrapnel wounds covering Tsunami’s body was a sweet dog whose life has now been transformed by PETA-supported rescuers.


Two Years of Saving Animals in Ukraine: Here’s a Glimpse at Rescuers’ Everyday Lives

After 17,520 hours of rockets, destruction, and suffering, PETA-supported teams continue to move mountains for animals in Ukraine. Learn what they’ve accomplished in two years.

Read More February 2024 Updates

Drone Strikes in Ukraine Hit Animal Rescuers’ Van—Watch How They Escaped

PETA-supported animal rescuers had a close call during a mission to help dogs and cats make a safe getaway in Ukraine.


Rescuers in Ukraine Scour Bomb-Riddled City to Save Desperate Animals

Residents in Avdiivka needed PETA-supported teams’ help to save animals from the aftermath of bombings. Meet a few of those they rescued.


Locals in Ukraine Knew Just Whom to Call When This Swan Was in Trouble

An injured swan in Ukraine was desperate for help, trapped in the center of a frozen lake. Watch as PETA-supported rescuers come to his aid.

Read More January 2024 Updates

See This Mare Being Rescued From the Front Lines in Ukraine

In Ukraine, a pregnant mare’s desperate attempt to escape tripped a bomb, badly injuring her. See as members of a PETA-supported team risk their own safety to rescue her.


VIDEO: Watch Animal Rescuers Brave Winter’s Worst to Save Lives

The winter weather is harsh, but PETA-supported rescuers in Ukraine pushed on to help a pack of abandoned dogs escape the frontlines. Watch the video and help their work continue!


Watch: Meet Some of the Animals You’ve Helped in Ukraine Since the War Started

PETA-supported rescuers in Ukraine have a message that will be the highlight of your week. Meet a few of the animals they’ve rescued with your help, and keep their vital work going!


How Rescuers in Ukraine Saved 8 Puppies and Their Mom Just in Time

When kind Ukrainian soldiers discovered a pregnant dog searching for safety near the front lines, they gave her refuge in their bunker—where she later gave birth to eight puppies. Watch as a PETA-supported team goes on a mission through the destroyed village to rescue abandoned animals, including the new mom and her tiny babies!

Read More December 2023 Updates

Polish Trucker Blockade Threatens Animal Safety in Ukraine

Animals in Ukraine were running out of food when PETA Germany was stopped by a blockade during its monthly delivery. See how the team kept this vital work going.


Rescuers in Action: Watch Pregnant Horse Maria’s Jaw-Dropping Escape From Death

As bombs tore apart her home in Ukraine, a pregnant horse’s desperate attempt to escape involved an explosion and an injured hoof. Watch as PETA-supported teams come to her rescue.


Drone Attack! Teams in Ukraine Save Animals While Under Fire

Two hundred terrified animals on a farm in Ukraine watched as their home was torn apart, one blast at a time. Watch as a PETA-supported team braves a Russian drone attack to get everyone out alive!

Read More November 2023 Updates

5 Minutes, Dozens of Lives Changed: The Latest Rescues in Ukraine

Owners killed, homes destroyed—for many animals in Ukraine, this can seem like the end. But it’s only the beginning, thanks to PETA-supported teams. Learn how to fuel their work!


Watch Rescuers Brave the Bombs to Save 40 Cats and Dogs

Twenty-five bombs rained down on a town in Ukraine in one day, but PETA-supported rescuers braved the battlefield to save 40 panicking dogs and cats.

Watch as a PETA-supported team rescues 40 panicked dogs and cats from the embattled Kherson region of Ukraine—and stops to help a wounded resident along the way.


Cats Are Surviving the War in Ukraine in the Coolest Place

Rescued cats in Ukraine have gotten the best upgrade to their safe house digs, thanks to PETA’s Global Compassion Fund. This spectacular refuge is sure to make your feline friend wonder why you’ve been sleeping on setting them up with a suspension bridge and wall perches. Check it out—you may have a trip to the hardware store in your near future!


Dog Miraculously Survives Bombing—See His Smile After Rescuers Found Him

Arik miraculously survived a missile strike 54 yards from where he was chained to the side of a house in Ukraine. When a PETA Global Compassion Fund–supported team moved through the area to scoop up injured and abandoned animals, kind Ukrainian soldiers told them not to forget sweet Arik! Watch this handsome dog’s rescue.


Greatest (Rescue) of All Time: Ukrainian Goat Named Alaska Is Lucky to Be Alive

As the war in Ukraine rages on and residents flee their homes, leaving animals behind to face the missiles and gunfire on their own, little sweethearts like Alaska have no choice but to endure the misery and terror. This gorgeous girl, who had a broken leg with a ghastly abscess growing around it, bleated for help from the PETA-supported rescuers who found her.

How a Dog Named Victory Escaped Defeat in Ukraine—and More!

Victory trudges through the barren streets of a ghost town in Ukraine, desperate for help. Painfully thin, the dog can barely be held up by her gaunt body, and her hair is coming out in clumps. She finds a dirty mattress in a forgotten building and collapses. It has been months since villagers—in a mad dash to escape falling bombs—left her behind.

She’s exhausted, but sleep escapes her as her raw skin burns like fire. Spider-like mites bore into her pores, and the red mange leaves her in agony. She’s at the end of her rope.

As the war in Ukraine grinds on, many dogs, cats, and other animals are facing similar horror stories—their malnourished bodies endure the stress of air-raid sirens, gunfire, and scarce food and water, leaving them more vulnerable to mange and other diseases.

Lada was at the end of her rope, too, as fleas jumped around her face and maggots ate away at her damaged, infected skin. She couldn’t walk and was fading away in her own waste.

Grab the tissues—you can’t miss this dog’s story:

PETA-supported Animal Rescue Kharkiv also saved Victory’s life. The lucky girl was given a second chance when the team found her while checking for animals like her in the abandoned village.

Today, thanks to intensive, around-the-clock care at the PETA-funded clinic in Kharkiv, Victory lives up to her name. Her coat is thick and shiny, and her once-inflamed skin is now healthy. She’s grateful that illness and loneliness are no longer a part of her life.

Read More September 2023 Updates

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.

Graf resolutely fought for his life, and clinic staff—supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund (GCF)—provided him with the loving, around-the-clock care he needed to win the battle. Before long, he was healing fast, and his appetite began to return.

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

Send a Vital Support Package to Animals

Help animals in Ukraine and elsewhere through the GCF. Your support will help provide teams with vital resources that are needed to save and care for as many animals as possible every day, giving them a second chance at life:


The Will to Be! Hamlet’s Story May Have You Crying Tears of Joy

The blast of an air-raid siren in Hamlet’s village left the dog trembling in fear. Moments later, a missile roared through the air, turning Hamlet and his guardian’s home to rubble. Their lives were all they had left—and the badly injured Hamlet was in danger of shuffling off this mortal coil.

Hamlet Suffered the Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune

His legs, including one of his elbow joints, had been struck by flying shrapnel. Without any way of securing the help he needed, Hamlet’s guardian could do nothing but watch as her beloved companion’s wounds began to fester and his health deteriorated.

Then, Ukrainian troops arrived to secure the village, and being kind souls, they alerted PETA’s Global Compassion Fund (GCF)–supported team Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK) that Hamlet needed their help. Hamlet’s guardian tearfully hugged her best friend goodbye, handing over the weakened dog to ARK with a plea to save his life and, knowing she would probably never see him again because of the war, find him a loving home.

ARK rushed the frail dog to PETA’s GCF-supported veterinary clinic in Kharkiv for emergency surgery. The deeply embedded shrapnel was removed, and his infected wounds were cleaned. The surgery was a success, and brave Hamlet, having regained the native hue of resolution, was soon wagging his tail around the clinic, happy to cuddle with the staff and grateful to be walking once again!

The ARK team and other PETA GCF-supported teams rescue and care for severely injured and traumatized animals like Hamlet every single day. They know they are shell-shocked and need gentle care. They help them recover and find new loving homes, or they search for their original guardians who were separated from their animal companions during the turmoil of war. Many go into foster care or to specially established shelters funded by PETA’s GCF, but so far, ARK has reunited 60% of all rescued and recovered animals with their original families. Each life saved and every tail wag or soft purr is reason enough for these courageous teams, who risk their own safety, to keep going, day after day, no matter how many slings and arrows, missiles and mortars, or other unnatural shocks come their way.

How You Can Help Animals Like Hamlet

Since the beginning of the war, PETA Germany and its partners in Ukraine have rescued more than 11,000 animals from areas in crisis. Teams provide medical care, vaccinations, passports, sterilizations, safe shelter, and a chance at a better life.

Your support of PETA’s GCF ensures that teams will be there for animals for as long as they’re needed.

Read More August 2023 Updates

Vegan Meals for Soldiers and More: See How PETA-Supported Teams Are Making an Impact in Ukraine

Weighing in at more than 88,000 pounds, this month’s supply of food for the more than 6,500 dogs, cats, donkeys, horses, and other animals who rely on it each day has arrived in Ukraine.

Watch this video from Animal Rescue Kharkiv as a team supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund works to rescue animals in the war-torn Kherson region:

Right now, teams are caring for nearly 120 traumatized puppies—many of whom were born on the streets, struggling to survive on their own. PETA Germany is orchestrating a plan to help them adjust. These puppies may have been born during war, terrified of the world around them, but by the time their quarantine periods are over, they’ll have a chance to find loving families.

A pair of determined women who run the Lviv Vegan Kitchen in Ukraine stopped by PETA’s Bob Barker Building in Los Angeles today to pick up a donation from the Global Compassion Fund. They also gave a PowerPoint presentation to PETA staff members, showing them what life was like for the restaurant before the war and how it is now.

They’ve created a gathering spot for refugees in Lviv, serving nearly 500 vegan dinners every day. And those who can’t reach the city aren’t out of luck—so far, Lviv Vegan Kitchen has shipped more than 2,700 parcels of food and other provisions to shelters, soldiers, and civilians throughout Ukraine.


Front Line Animal Rescuer in Ukraine: Infinitely Grateful for PETA

Teams backed by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund have pulled out all the stops to rescue animals from the war zone in Ukraine. Teams made up of courageous animal advocates like Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK) rush into cities and towns that have just been liberated in order to rescue and care for the animals left behind. With support from the Global Compassion Fund, PETA Germany supplies food each month for ARK’s clinic, shelters, and distribution to other shelters and residents in and around Kharkiv. After ARK’s clinic was bombed in 2022, support from the Global Compassion Fund helped rebuild it.

PETA Germany recently spoke with Igor Sobko, deputy head of Animal Rescue Kharkiv, about what life is like in the midst of a war.

PETA Germany: Igor, please describe what a typical day is like when you work near the front lines while also managing around 800 to 1,000 animals who are currently in ARK’s care.

A day like this is full of tasks, and it goes something like this: We answer calls that come in through the ARK hotline. They’re always emergency calls. People tell us where animals are injured or in distress. Then the rescuers set off immediately—we do that in the Kharkiv region. We save the animal or animals, which can also be dangerous for us. Then we take them to the veterinary clinic that PETA Germany helped set up. After an examination at the clinic, a decision is made whether to bring them to one of the animal shelters or admit them to the clinic. We receive around 70 to 90 calls each day. Work is also being done separately on evacuating animals from the combat zone in Donbass.

The clinic is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thanks to PETA Germany, we also work in two wonderfully developed shelters for cats and two dog shelters. The animals are cleaned and cared for, and everything has to be as beautiful as possible and always tidy. We also have a spay/neuter project, and there’s another team that prepares the dogs and cats for departure by compiling all the necessary papers, checking their microchips, and issuing animal passports. They stay in contact with European animal shelters to secure adoptions and with guardians to arrange reunions.

There are currently 75 people working for us. The project gives them hope and the animals a future!

PETA Germany: Caring for so many animals is a Herculean task! How big has ARK become during the war?

Before the war, ARK was caring for 95 cats and 295 dogs. We had to evacuate them all from the line of fire. Our animal shelter was directly bombed at the beginning of the war, and unfortunately, animals died. We also had to help all the animals who were suddenly on the streets—the immense destruction had left them homeless. There were thousands of animals locked up in apartments in Saltivka, the most heavily shelled area at the time. People opened doors so they wouldn’t just die there. Suddenly they were everywhere—without a chance, without hope—and we immediately started taking them to safe areas in Ukraine and Europe. At the beginning of the war, that was still possible because special legal exceptions were made at the borders, but now we’re back to the normal regulations, which we strictly adhere to.

Without PETA Germany, we wouldn’t be able to help so many animals. We currently care for around 1,000 animals every day, no matter what the situation is around us. The Global Compassion Fund makes it possible for us to build these structures, and now we can keep them.

PETA Germany: How important is working closely with PETA Germany to your organization?

We’ve known PETA Germany for more than 10 years through smaller projects. For example, we worked together against the dog killings before the World Cup many years ago. We contacted PETA Germany as soon as the war broke out, and together we immediately evacuated animals to Europe—first via Poland. Since then and to this day, cooperation has been the basis of our work here. It’s not just about financial support. What I value most about working together is trust. I see unity in the special understanding of our work and in the good cooperation between the organizations. I see that the PETA Germany team’s experience allows them to identify the right plan and work with us strategically to make the best decisions in the moment. Thanks to our collaboration with PETA Germany, you, dear readers, can see what we’re doing here. PETA Germany supports us in the most difficult situations, like when we’re criticized for our work because not everyone understands our commitment to animals.

We’re always ready for any rescue and will make a plan, no matter the difficulty or circumstances—it must be done. PETA Germany and ARK will never just leave an animal behind!

PETA Germany: You also work in dangerous areas. How does the team deal with things when the job gets dangerous?

The fundamental rule of the rescue team is to adhere closely to schedules. We try to work within strict timelines, and we work with the military. This reduces the risk of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, which is the main reason people die from artillery fire, but there is also no guarantee and no certainty. We do it as strategically as possible. Working on an evacuation team means you have to be there at exactly the right time. We’ve done the analysis, and we understand that for each evacuation, it’s necessary to adhere to set times. Here’s an example of how incredibly important timing is: During one evacuation, there was a tricky situation and the Russians were very close. We had to leave exactly at 9 a.m. because we knew that there would be shelling from that point on. We were 15 minutes late and came under heavy fire. Getting out of that situation was life-threatening. The team crawled across the ground and into the trenches. They were physically unharmed, but it was close. We’re aware of how close we are to death here.

PETA Germany: You meet a lot of people who have lost everything. They give you their beloved animals to save them. Which story touched you the most?

The encounters with the military touch me the most because they give what is most valuable—their lives. In addition, they rescue and care for animals. They are very worried about them and very happy when we take them away to a safe place. Because in the long run, military bases are not places where animals can be adequately cared for. I was most touched by a situation in which a soldier, Andrey, rescued some cats. Even after he got wounded, he continued looking for a way to save them and ensure their survival. Sadly, Andrey died from gunshot wounds, but we now care for the cats he loved so much. There was also a situation in which we were evacuating a dog from Bakhmut and he didn’t want to come with us. He made it clear that we were to follow him, and he pulled his rescuer in a different direction. We decided to follow him, and he took us to a crumbling house, where there was another dog, his friend Tessa, who was too weak to walk. Of course, we took both of them with us, and both are fine! They will never be separated.

PETA Germany: Can you give a little insight into your feelings? How do you deal with the fact that the air raid is constantly on, you and the team see missiles in the sky, you hear bombs, and everything is destroyed? People you know are being killed—how do you keep going?

It’s impossible to get used to the loss of loved ones, friends, and acquaintances. I knew many people who are no longer alive. They were all very worthy and wonderful individuals. That’s the hardest part of this war. I realize that the war will go on for a long time, our economy will be destroyed, and there will be many more missiles. We are paying a very high price in this war. At the same time, I’m happy when we save animals and they find loving families in Europe! We reunite more than half the animals with their guardians after they’ve been separated by the war. These are very beautiful and important moments and experiences for all of us! The families send us photos of the happy animals, their home, and nice trips with them in nature. These animals survived abandonment and gunfire and are happy now. It seems to me that such happy stories provide the inspiration to live and continue working here.

PETA Germany: What would you like to say to the people reading this interview?

It’s important for us that every person reading this article understand this: We’re alive, and we’re still going! It would be nice if people felt as though they were connected to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. Then it’s like an exchange based on compassion.

And we will feel the support of all the readers, which we need very much. The war brought us into a new reality in a single day and gave us tasks that would sometimes have been impossible if we had to handle them alone.

But we’re not alone! The insight, the support, the communication, the exchange, the help—we are infinitely grateful!


Watch: A Soldier’s Plea to Stop Violence

A combat medic on the front lines in Ukraine knows the horrors of war—and how seeing them can make anyone want to take action to stop violence.

That’s why he took a few moments to record this brief but powerful message about an easy way we can all help:

Soldiers like him often work with rescue teams supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund as they risk everything to help animals.

Read More June 2023 Updates

Out of the Flood, Into the Fire

Teams have rescued nearly 300 traumatized dogs, cats, chickens, and other animals from the deadly flooding in Ukraine. Here are many grateful animals after arriving at the Global Compassion Fund–supported clinic in Kharkiv:

While the team members are reuniting flood victims with their guardians and finding loving homes for those who need one, they’re also busy restocking supplies for another trip back to Kherson later this week. The military has requested their help to rescue the animals who are trapped on the front lines as fighting in the region intensifies.

These dogs may have been spared by the floodwaters, but they are all deeply affected by the sounds of the conflict nearby. Watch how Animal Rescue Kharkiv helps them escape:


Finding Survivors in the Flood

More than 200 dogs, cats, chickens, and goats (and even a turtle) have now been pulled from the floodwaters and are receiving the care they need, thanks to the strong network of rescuers, volunteers, veterinarians, and shelters supported by the many recent donors to PETA’s Global Compassion Fund.

The team from Animal Rescue Kharkiv is still busy navigating the debris-strewn water, scaling destroyed houses, and swimming through the muck to reach as many animals as they can.

Watch as senior dog Kai calls out for help from a rooftop when he senses the approaching rescue boat:

Water levels are slowly receding, and what lies beneath the murky surface is now creating new challenges for rescue crews in boats—who  must also contend with water-logged structures that may collapse.

Teams on solid ground are also working to reunite guardians with their animal companions who went through the unimaginable: becoming separated without a moment’s notice and not knowing whether one another had survived. These two were grateful to be with each other once again:


Meet Afina and Other Flood Survivors

From dogs and cats to chickens and goats, teams supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund are rescuing around 50 animals every day from debris-filled floodwaters in Ukraine.

Heavy Rain and Military Shutdowns

Afina was found hungry, frightened, and alone on a floating metal roof. Watch what happens after “Capt. Afina” alerts her crew to other animals who need their help:

Rescuers put on ponchos when the heavy rain started beating down. Visibility was sometimes limited, but knowing animals were still out there—having gone several days without food and clean water—the team carried on to reach them.

Strong currents likely displaced this turtle downstream. The team spotted her when she was able to clamber atop a roof, and they scooped her up and took her to safety.

When the military sealed off the area, teams backed by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund raced their boats to another location and kept rescuing dogs, cats, and other animals. They were later the only group given permission to continue working.


Watch as Rescuers Save Animals

Over 100 dogs, cats, chickens, and other animals have been saved from dangerous flooding in southern Ukraine so far. Watch as a team supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund whisks traumatized animal survivors onto their boats and away to safety:

Each moment counts for exhausted animals trapped on rooftop “islands” or desperately trying to escape the murky floodwaters.


Finding Survivors in the Flood

Teams supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund are carefully navigating the floodwaters in Ukraine to find cats, dogs, chickens, and other animal survivors and rush them to dry land, where they’re provided with food and water. Volunteers are transporting them to a nearby veterinary clinic and animal shelters.

Everywhere the rescuers steer their boats, they find animals at risk of drowning. Here are a few of the dozens of lives they have saved so far:

This dog was desperately treading water to survive after someone left him tethered to a roof. Rescuers got to him in the nick of time. He was so exhausted that after the team rushed him to dry land, he couldn’t even stand on his own.

Rescuers eased this terrified dog onto a boat:

This overwhelmed dog clasped his rescuer’s leg for dear life until he was pulled from the water.

Countless other panicked animals are stranded on rooftops or desperately trying to survive in the bacteria-laden water as rescuers risk their lives navigating around military explosive devices and broken power lines to save them.


Animals Face Drowning in Ukrainian Flood Zone

Teams supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund (GCF) are navigating the murky waters of flooded streets to save frightened animals clinging to rooftops or struggling to reach a patch of dry ground after the destruction of a major dam in southern Ukraine.

Animal Rescue Kharkiv set out for the devastated region with food, medical supplies, and boats soon after news broke of the flooding, and the group was shortly joined by another GCF-supported rescue team out of Mykolaiv.

“This catastrophe transcends any dramatic situation we have experienced side by side with our local partners since the outbreak of war.”

—Sylvie Bunz, Special Projects Senior Manager, PETA Germany

The floodwaters are challenging, and broken power lines and military devices are making the situation even more dangerous. Rescuers are risking their lives to reach as many stranded and traumatized survivors as possible. Teams are whisking the animals they save to a nearby clinic for any necessary veterinary care, while others are being transported to local shelters in the hope of reuniting them with their guardians.


Since just days after the war in Ukraine began, PETA Germany has teamed up with many organizations to help as many animals there as possible. This strong network, supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund, feeds thousands of dogs each week and has rescued more than 11,000 animals so far.

Watch the Global Compassion Fund–backed team Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK) on a “day in the life” as they help dog Piglet and countless others:

With your help, here are just some of the remarkable accomplishments that teams supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund have achieved in Ukraine:

  • Teams have rescued more than 11,000 animals so far.
  • PETA Germany has collected and delivered more than 3 million pounds of food (1.4 million kilograms) for animals in the country.
  • After support from the Global Compassion Fund helped rebuild ARK’s bombed clinic, 2,964 severely injured animals (and counting) received veterinary care.
  • ARK teams save 100 animals each week. Global Compassion Fund support helps with transportation, medical supplies, and much more.
  • ARK is caring for 1,000 cats and dogs in Kharkiv—rescuing and finding new homes for animals as well as reuniting them with their families.
Read More May 2023 Updates

The Food Network

A group of dedicated advocates is risking their lives to provide a steady supply of food for dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys.

Countless cats and dogs roamed Ukraine streets, struggling to survive, even before the war. When the bombs began falling, they were joined by thousands more who were abandoned when their guardians fled or were killed. Each month, PETA Germany works with a European supplier to optimize ingredients and the size and weight of each bag of food so that no space is wasted and distributions can be made as quickly and efficiently as possible.

PETA Germany has orchestrated the creation and delivery of more than 3 million pounds of food (1.4 million kilograms) for animals in Ukraine—check out some of the grateful recipients as ARK distributes the supply around Kharkiv:

This supply has saved countless lives, particularly during the difficult winter months. To show just how vital it is, partners UAnimals and Humanna Kraina recently gave PETA Germany the All-Ukrainian Animal Protection Award. UAnimals was alongside PETA Germany from the beginning, helping to distribute the first 20-ton delivery of food. From that point on, UAnimals, ARK, Humanna Kraina, and several other organizations have regularly received large shipments of food that they promptly deliver to animals in need.


PETA-Supported Teams Rescue 1,000 Fish and Help Ukraine Soldiers Save Dogs

After receiving an unusual emergency call to save some 1,000 fish in the heavily contested Bakhmut region, Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK) geared up in protective vests and helmets and rushed to them.

The Global Compassion Fund–supported rescuers worked carefully to move the temperature-sensitive fish out of crowded tanks for safe transport.

Now all the fish are swimming in roomy aquariums at a safe location, and PETA Germany and its partner ARK are working to persuade the farmer to give up fish breeding altogether. The team has offered him a job rescuing abandoned animals with them instead.

Read More April 2023 Updates

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.

The next day, like serendipity, Anna—who knew the Global Compassion Fund–supported team in Kharkiv was rescuing animals from the front lines—called the clinic and asked to adopt any animal who was least likely to find a loving home—and the rest is history.

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.


Little Boni Goes to Germany

Boni was unable to use her back legs after being attacked by a large dog. The team rescued her a few months ago and transported her to a partner clinic in Hungary, where veterinary experts devised a treatment plan to help her recover from the neurological problem causing the temporary paralysis.

Boni the dog being rescued in Ukraine
Boni the dog five months after being rescued in Ukraine

After months of required quarantine and treatments, Boni is now at an animal shelter in Germany. A veterinarian there is overseeing her continued treatment, and the team has every confidence that the growing girl will soon have full use of her back legs and become the newest member of a loving family!

Read More March 2023 Updates

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.

A brown horse eating straw

Orphans Care for Abandoned Animals

When abandoned animals sought refuge at an orphanage in Mykolaiv, the team began providing them with the dog and cat food they needed. They’re also keeping the children at that orphanage engaged with their donations of colorful PETA Kids’ booklets.

A child in Ukraine poses with a PETA Kids brochure

More Than a Year of War and Fighting Back for Animals

An infographic demonstrating the ways PETA has helped in Ukraine

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

A dog eats from a bowl of food on the streets of Ukraine
A dog eats from a bowl of food on the streets of Ukraine
Three puppies eat from a bowl of food on the streets of Ukraine

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

PETA and ARK's branded truck in Ukraine

How You Can Help Animals

PETA Germany and its partners’ determination and grit have helped thousands of animals in Ukraine survive famine, injuries, and other traumatic experiences. PETA Germany’s volunteers put their own safety on the line every day as they deliver food and veterinary care and transport animals out of the war zone.

Global Compassion Fund donors make this work possible, and you can join the many who are helping animals in Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and elsewhere by donating today!


War Zone Rescues: Saving Lives in Ukraine

“There’s no time to lose when animals need us”

is the unofficial motto of PETA Germany’s Ukraine rescue team, whose brave members comb through the bombed-out shells of once-bustling cities, risking their lives to help all animals in need.

PETA Germany and its partners’ determination and grit have helped thousands of animals in Ukraine survive famine, injuries, and other traumatic experiences. PETA Germany’s volunteers put their own safety on the line every day as they deliver food and veterinary care and transport animals out of the war zone. Read on for stories of just a few of the thousands of animals who have been helped by this invaluable work.

Nearly 1,000 Animals Rescued From War-Torn Ukraine
Read More February 2023 Updates

PETA Germany Braves the War Zone to Save Animals

PETA Germany’s rescue team risked their lives to drive to Lviv just days after the invasion of Ukraine began, a dangerous journey into a battle-torn country made even more hazardous by heavy snowfall and icy conditions. They met with brave volunteers who had traveled more than 300 miles within Ukraine from a shelter in Kyiv with nearly 90 homeless cats and dogs. Then PETA Germany drove the animals to Poland, a safe haven where they could be placed for a chance at adoption. Since this first rescue mission, PETA Germany has helped save the lives of more than 1,650 animals.

After hearing about the plight of Evgenia—along with her 3-year-old twins and their cat and dog companions—who thought escape from Bucha with her whole family was impossible, PETA Germany prepared to help them.

After Russian soldiers had left Kyiv and the streets had been cleared of mines and the dead bodies of civilians, the rescue team made the harrowing journey through the war-scarred country to reach Evgenia and her family. The perilous trip was long and frightening, but after almost 30 hours on the road, Evgenia, the twins, and the animals arrived safely in Germany.

When PETA Germany and its partner Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK) met Atya the dog, she was suffering on the street, cowering in fear in a puddle of her own blood. Her shoulder had been blown to bits by a barrage of bullets.

The team helped rush her to a clinic, where a veterinarian was able to remove the shrapnel from her wounds and save her shoulder. Although she has healed physically, she needs emotional support to help overcome the strain of her ordeal. Today she’s at a partner center in Budapest that helps animals recover from trauma. Thanks to PETA Germany and its partners, Atya is able to live in a pack of dogs who have helped her regain her confidence.

Help Animals in Ukraine Today: Give to the Global Compassion Fund

Thousands of animals trapped in a war zone like Atya was have been saved, thanks to the rescue teams that willingly risk their own lives. All PETA Germany’s hard work in Ukraine is made possible by the generous supporters of the PETA’s Global Compassion Fund.

Please make a donation to help the group rescue even more animals in the war zone.


Bari was exhausted.

He had lost his vision some time before the war started, but that didn’t stop the dog from becoming adept at finding somewhere safe to sleep and a caring person to give him food.

Then everything changed. Suddenly, he was surrounded by loud noises and strange, awful scents. It seemed like all the humans had disappeared.

The dog’s old bones ached as he scrambled to find a safe place to rest and enough food to keep going.

Then one day, someone gently scooped him up and took him to a nearby animal shelter. Although he was no longer hungry, the air raid sirens and bombs were so jarring that all the animals there lived in a state of panic. One night, the whole building shook as a bomb tore through it. Bari was terrified, but he was miraculously uninjured. PETA Germany arrived to help not long afterward, and soon Bari and the other survivors were heading out of the war zone to a shelter near the Hungarian border. There he found loving humans who provided constant affection, regular meals, and an occasional treat. Best of all, there were no more loud booms and sirens to frighten him. Thanks to PETA Germany and its partners, Bari was provided with a passport, a microchip, and vaccinations. Soon afterward, he began an epic journey to Düsseldorf, Germany. Now he’s become part of a loving family alongside two other rescued dogs, ducks, and geese. Bari is finally home.


Animals left to fend for themselves after evacuations and those who are trying to survive in shelters depend on PETA Germany and its partners as they work together to deliver food, provide emergency care, and rescue frightened animals abandoned in war zones.

A total of 6,500 hungry animals receive food daily. To date, PETA Germany has provided more than 2.2 million pounds of food for dogs, cats, and horses. More than 1,800 animals have been rescued since the beginning of the war.

Feeding the Hungry

With cities in Ukraine surrounded and bombarded with fighting, supplies of food and water are insufficient, but thanks to PETA Germany and its partners, thousands of animals have already been supplied with food. Dogs, cats, and horses have benefited from the more than 1 million kilograms (around 1,000 tons of food) that has been delivered to date. Teams are committed to feeding 6,500 animals every day and will move mountains to bring them food as long as it is needed.

Read More November 2022 Updates

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!


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.


The team starts their day at Animal Rescue Kharkiv’s (ARK) headquarters, planning stops in and around Kharkiv to rescue dogs and cats who need medical attention and drop off supplies of dog and cat food to the brave volunteers who distribute it daily to the abandoned animals they find. As they gear up with protective helmets and vests, a team member receives an urgent call from a Ukrainian soldier: His troop was evacuating people from their homes nearby when he discovered a terrified dog in a miserable state, left behind in a small, filthy kennel by owners who had fled. A tag around his neck read, “Boy.”

The team has rescued many animals like Boy during the war, and they soon arrive to free him from the kennel and secure him in their rescue van. They take him to a peaceful area of Ukraine, where a kind family is now caring for him and doing their best to calm his nerves and reassure him that he will never be abandoned again.

Another call for help comes through as the team is picking up more abandoned dogs. A refugee who had left cats behind is hoping to be reunited with them. The team sets out to find the animals, but as the van nears their destination, they’re stopped at a checkpoint. Ukrainian soldiers and armored vehicles are everywhere, and the team is turned away after being told the area has become much too dangerous due to mines left behind by retreating Russians. Rescuers call the refugee to break the disappointing news and help arrange for a neighbor who stayed behind to look after the cats until it’s safe to return.

As the sun is starting to set, the team finishes their delivery of dog and cat food to volunteers and heads back to ARK’s headquarters. There, they gather documents and vaccinate and microchip the newly rescued animals. They’re making arrangements for those who are well enough to travel to an animal shelter near the Hungarian border when air raid sirens start blaring. Their hearts feel like they’ll leap right out of their chests as bombs fall nearby, and the rescued cats and dogs are equally terrified. Fortunately, everyone makes it through the night unharmed, and when the sun rises, the team sets out for the border shelter with a van full of weary animal refugees who now have a chance at a better life.

Read More October 2022 Updates

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.


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.

When Russian troops tried to overtake the Ukrainian cities of Dnipro and Chuhuiv, the region descended into abject chaos. Rescuers risked their lives to move animals to safety as escape routes were being heavily bombed. Afterward, the six cats spent the required quarantine period in Ukraine while PETA Germany amassed all the necessary paperwork to get them into Hungary. Space and expert trainers were waiting for them at a partner trauma clinic for animals in Budapest.

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.


With winter just around the corner, PETA Germany and its partners are working quickly to prepare for the cold days to come in Ukraine.

The more animals this network of activists can get safely out of war-torn areas right now, the better. Once winter settles in, many already damaged roads are sure to become almost impassable, making it even more difficult to reach animals desperate for help.

Global Compassion Fund supporters are helping PETA Germany and its partners prepare by expanding a partner animal shelter near the Hungarian border. It’s in a region far from the most intense fighting, but space fills up quickly due to the quarantine periods required when moving animals out of Ukraine.

The teams are working hard to increase capacity at the shelter in order to help as many animals as possible escape to safety.

Read More September 2022 Updates

As the sun comes up, the rescue team, which has been driving for hours, finally crosses into Hungary. They wait for the border guards to check passports while keeping their eyes peeled for any stray animals. Some homeless animals have formed a pack the guards feed, so the team gathers the ones they can in order to help them have a chance at a much better life.

On their way to partner animal shelters in Hungary, a group of sleepy and patient dogs and cats is now one step closer to leaving the war and all its chaos behind. After being scooped up from war-torn cities—Kharkiv, Dnipro, and others—they’ve all successfully waited out the required quarantine period in Ukraine while a partner shelter there vaccinated them, tended to their wounds, and helped the team gather all the necessary paperwork and animal passports.

In Hungary, the team saw Lilly. She was sitting with two border guards who were sharing their bread with her. The soldiers told the team that Lilly was traveling alone—with no one to care for her. Her tail wagged, and she ran toward the team, allowing them to take her into their arms. After a friendly meet and greet, she jumped into the rescue van, where a warm place was waiting for her.

Since Lilly was on the Hungarian side of the border, she’ll have only a three-week quarantine at a partner shelter after being vaccinated for rabies. Then the team will move her to Germany, where they’re confident the sweet dog will find a loving family.


PETA Germany and its partners have rescued hundreds of dogs in and around Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city and a focal point during recent fighting.

Perlinka is one of them. The chaos of war – the barrage of noises from air raid sirens and the thud of explosions – has taken a heavy toll on her, leaving her traumatized and understandably fearful.

A partner shelter in Budapest that specializes in helping dogs like Perlinka recover emotionally has been working with her around the clock so that she can eventually be placed in a loving home. Although she still cowers when other dogs play around her, she’s already come a long way, thanks to her rehabilitation. She’s even begun to joyfully accept treats from human hands!


The horrendously high price of food prompted a panicked call to the team from people desperate to feed their horses. More than 100 horses needed help, and between fighting near Odesa and its distance from the border with Hungary, reaching them was no easy task. But that didn’t deter the team from supplying a lifeline in the form of 55 metric tons of food and hay for the starving horses who remain in the war-torn area.

Read More August 2022 Updates

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.)

“The look the animals give us when they jump into our arms and do not want to let us go, acknowledging they know they are being saved by our work—that is worth all the effort.”

—A PETA Germany staffer


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.


While the war in Ukraine rages on, PETA Germany’s partner organization Animal Rescue Kharkiv (ARK) is operating in some of the most dangerous and active battle zones in the beleaguered country.

This dog is one of many animals who were abandoned in a suburb of Kharkiv that is now directly in the line of fire. Almost no humans are living there to care for these animals.

After somehow managing to escape a grenade that fell on this house, killing others in the area, a dog named Richie is now with ARK and will be transported to a new home.

This is a partially destroyed residential building in Kharkiv’s Pyatikhatka district where ARK found and helped an injured dog. Some locals still live in the basement of this building.

This building was also bombed by Russian soldiers, and most structures in this district of Kharkiv have become uninhabitable. To save as many animals as possible ARK often works with the Ukrainian military for protection, as they may have only 10 or 15 minutes before bombs or gunfire start raining down again.

Three dogs, Kleopa, Marcus, and Clay, were left behind when their guardians were forced to evacuate their home after bombings, but ARK was able to pull them to safety just in time.

All three dogs are in good health and will soon be reunited with their family!

ARK employees discovered this German shepherd desperately running through the streets in the line of fire, with no guardians to be found. She was rushed to safety and transported to a loving new home.

At a military checkpoint, Ukrainian soldiers asked ARK to help find a home for a dog who had given birth to several puppies in the barracks. The entire family of dogs is recovering in a safe area until they’re ready to be placed for adoption.

Read More July 2022 Updates

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.


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!

This work is made possible by the generous supporters of PETA’s Global Compassion Fund.


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.


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.

PETA Germany and its partner organizations have transported more than 1,600 cats and dogs out of Ukraine and have supplied more than 600 metric tons of food and supplies to families and animals still within its borders.

You can support their lifesaving work with a donation to the Global Compassion Fund.


PETA Germany and its partner organizations have been in Ukraine since the war began, doing all that they can to get animals and their human family members to safety and delivering food and supplies to those who are still in danger. So far, the rescue teams have transported over 1,600 cats and dogs out of Ukraine and have supplied more than 600 metric tons of provisions and food for dogs, cats, horses, and donkeys. See some of the rescued animals and their grateful guardians in the brief documentary below:

Read More June 2022 Updates

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.

Take Action for Animals in Ukraine

As Daisy starts this new chapter of her life with her furever family, many loving adoptable dogs like her are still waiting for a permanent home. Remember, every time someone buys a puppy or a kitten, they fuel the homeless-animal crisis and an animal in a shelter loses a chance at finding a home.

To help animals still in Ukraine, donate to PETA’s Global Compassion Fund, and then come back to this page for more information on PETA Germany’s diligent efforts there.


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.

For more details about Brendan’s time with PETA Germany, check out his PETA Prime interview.


PETA Germany is building shelters in Hungary to host animals rescued from Ukraine.

Since the war broke out, PETA Germany has rescued over 1,300 cats and dogs from Ukraine. Now, to save even more animals, the group and others are building shelters in Hungary. These shelters, located near the border with Ukraine, will provide temporary accommodations for up to 300 animals at a time.

Tired and stressed after arduous journeys from all across Ukraine, these victims of war will soon be able to rest, recuperate, and receive lots of TLC from the staff in Hungary. Due to border regulations, cats and dogs rescued from Ukraine must often spend time in quarantine before they can travel to Germany or other EU countries. At these new shelters, Ukrainian animals will receive all the medical care, tests, and vaccinations they need in order to be adopted into permanent homes.

Read More May 2022 Updates

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:

Tani and her guardian are now in the Czech Republic, far away from the war.

Hungry Dogs, Cats, Donkeys, and Horses Are Receiving Much-Needed Food

PETA Germany continues to send food for cats, dogs, horses, and donkeys into Ukraine. To date, the group has delivered over 400 tons of provisions across the country.


A woman, her twin children, and the family’s dogs and cats are now safe after PETA Germany braved the wreckage of the warzone in Bucha, Ukraine, to rescue them.

Evgenia, her 3-year-old twins, and their cat and dog companions had been staying in the city outside Kyiv during the massacre that continues to shock the world. It seemed impossible for them to escape, and Evgenia didn’t want to leave the animals behind.

After Russian soldiers had left the city and the streets had been cleared of mines and the dead bodies of civilians, PETA Germany made the harrowing journey through the war-torn country to reach Evgenia and get her and her family, including the cats and dogs, out of Ukraine.

The hazardous trip was long and frightening, but after almost 30 hours on the road, Evgenia, the twins, and the animals arrived in Germany, where they’re now safe.

In addition to rescuing humans and other animals, PETA Germany has fed more than 100,000 cats, dogs, and horses in Ukraine since the beginning of the war.

Read More April 2022 Updates

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.


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:


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.

Animals don’t start wars, but like human victims, they suffer immensely during these conflicts.

PETA Germany’s lifesaving mission is an ongoing one. A train full of food, for example, recently delivered more provisions for cats and dogs in Ukraine.


Bissy (below) was one of the first dogs PETA Germany rescued from Lviv, Ukraine. The team found her in a local animal shelter and, of course, took her and many other dogs and cats with them.

Now, Bissy is safe in foster care and spends her days hanging out with her new friends:

© Ada Foundation

This sweet girl, who touched the hearts of a lovely family from Switzerland, will soon be moving to her new permanent home.

Read More March 2022 Updates

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.


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.


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.

And there’s been more progress for those fleeing war-torn Ukraine with their animal companions: Sweden has joined the list of countries that have eased entry requirements for animals from Ukraine. Visit PETA.org.uk to learn more about what refugees can expect if and when they arrive at the Swedish border.


Humans and other animals continue to receive urgently needed help at the border between Ukraine and Romania, thanks to PETA Germany’s partner organization, Eduxanima, and the kind folks who have supported this vital work.

The teams are there for both refugees and impoverished locals, providing them with food and their animal companions with food and veterinary care.


Another 40,000 pounds of food has been delivered to feed hungry cats and dogs in Odesa, Ukraine. Their grateful faces say it all:

The PETA Germany rescue team brought another 120 cats and dogs out of Ukraine to safety over the weekend. Some of them had been left locked inside apartments and houses when their families fled the war. Now they are safe and fed, have been checked by veterinarians, and are receiving lots of love after their long, exhausting journey:

Many of the animals rescued from Ukraine in the past three weeks are now in Germany and Austria, far away from the war. Lots of them have already found new permanent homes, and the rest will be ready to be adopted very soon. To date, PETA entities have taken more than 740 animals out of war-torn Ukraine and delivered 240,000 pounds of desperately needed food within the country.

This is in part thanks to the generosity of kind supporters!


Marius and Pamplemousse have been reunited with their families!

When the war broke out, this family fleeing to the Czech Republic had no choice but to leave its cat companions with an animal rescuer in Lviv. The PETA Germany team managed not only to bring the animals to safety but also to reunite them with their grateful guardians! These sweet boys captured the team’s hearts and spent the long and stressful journey to Poland sitting on their laps. It was hard to say goodbye, but knowing that they are now back with their beloved family in the Czech Republic is the happy ending we’ve all been hoping and working for.


PETA entities helped evacuate these dogs from a shelter that was bombarded near Kyiv.

Brave activists brought them to Lviv, and the PETA Germany rescue team brought them across the border into Poland. Many of the dogs have serious health issues and are now receiving urgent veterinary care.

They will soon be heading to a shelter in Germany, from which they can be adopted into permanent safe, loving homes.


PETA Germany has delivered urgent supplies for cats and dogs in Ukraine! Two trucks carrying another 44 tons of food have arrived safely in Lviv. From there, it’s being distributed to other parts of the country to feed as many starving animals as possible.

In total, PETA Germany has successfully delivered 110 tons of food for animals in Ukraine. Many people cried as they received this desperately needed food for their beloved cat and dog companions.

PETA Germany will continue to bring supplies for animals in need in Ukraine. Stay tuned!


More good news from the Polish border: PETA Germany has secured the safety of almost 100 more animals, including close to 80 dogs from an animal shelter in Kharkiv and 11 cats and 10 dogs from Kyiv. A group of veterinarians is swiftly treating any animals with injuries. Every day presents a new set of challenges, and this time, just crossing the border resulted in hours of delays. The group’s latest rescue trip from Poland to Lviv, Ukraine, and back took over 36 hours, but they were determined to help animals—many of whom had already traveled hundreds of miles and were exhausted.

PETA Germany also just acquired an extra van to rescue even more animals from Ukraine and bring them to safety in Poland.

This rescue team is working around the clock for animals in need. Thanks to their endless efforts, over 600 cats and dogs from Ukraine are safe and those who need to find new homes will soon be ready for adoption.

PETA Germany’s partners are also still at the Romanian border helping refugees obtain companion animal passports, vaccinations, collars, and food.


People from all across Ukraine desperately need more food for their cats and dogs as it becomes more difficult to get supplies, and PETA Germany is still rushing to help. Three trucks with 120,000 pounds of dog and cat food are already on their way.

Remember this sweet video showing puppies having lunch?

These wagging tails will make your heart melt 🤎

Thanks to delivery by PETA Germany these dogs (and many more!) have finally got full tummies. PETA Deutschland is the first group to bring food for the starving animals of #Odesa. 🐶 #ukraine #animalsofukraine

Posted by PETA UK on Tuesday, March 15, 2022

One of the trucks that PETA Germany loaded up is headed for Odesa, Ukraine, and soon these dogs and their friends will receive additional vital provisions.

The two other trucks have now left Berlin and are on their way to Lviv, Ukraine. From there, PETA Germany and local activists will distribute 80,000 pounds of food to people with animals across the country.

Meanwhile, the team continues to bring animals over the border to safety.

Keep reading to learn more about PETA Germany’s efforts in Ukraine, plus how you can support the work of PETA entities there and all around the world.


PETA has received confirmation that entry requirements for companion animals from Ukraine into the U.K. have now been relaxed. Instead of applying for a license in advance, refugees can arrive at the border and the Animal and Plant Health Agency will assist with simplified paperwork and cover the costs of vaccination and quarantine.

The quarantine period may be up to four months, depending on the vaccination status of each animal. However, PETA U.K. is calling for this to be shortened and for regular visits from the animals’ guardians to be allowed.

Meanwhile, the PETA Germany team is continuing to rescue as many animals as possible. This weekend, they brought another 100 cats and dogs safely across the border into Poland, and the team has now rescued more than 500 animals.

This cat is from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, which has been heavily bombarded:

And this 12-year-old dog, whom the team named Josef, came all the way from Donetsk. Vets are now treating his injured leg:

Many of the rescued animals are currently being cared for at a wonderful shelter and getting all the TLC (and medical attention) they desperately need.

Mishka used to live on the streets of Lviv, Ukraine. Now, she is safe in Poland. The team rescued this mom and her puppies last week. Look how peaceful they are now they are out of danger!

PETA Germany’s partner organization, Eduxanima, is at the Romanian border helping refugees with animals. It has set up a portable clinic, where the team is microchipping and vaccinating the animals, issuing them passports, and providing them and their families with food– all free of charge.

And the good news doesn’t end there: Hungry cats and dogs in Odesa, Ukraine, are finally getting a proper meal today after PETA Germany delivered more than 44,000 pounds of food for the starving animals in the city. The truck stocked with companion animal food traveled all the way from Berlin to this city in the very south of Ukraine.

This tough and dangerous journey took a week: five days of driving and two days of waiting, making phone calls, and sorting out the paperwork to cross multiple borders. Finally, the stomachs of cats and dogs in Odesa will be full.

PETA Germany has now delivered more than 132,000 pounds of cat and dog food to Ukraine, and much more is on the way.

Stay tuned for more updates, and click below to support the work of PETA entities in Ukraine and around the world.


Another day, another rescue mission, another 100+ dogs and cats saved. Joined by other activists, PETA Germany’s team brought dozens of animals from Ukraine across the border into Poland last night. Loving homes are already waiting for them in Austria. This means the team has now rescued more than 400 cats and dogs from Ukraine. Meet just a few of them.

And here’s more good news: Greece, Portugal, and Moldova have eased their border restrictions for people with companion animals! See which other countries refugees and their animal companions can safely enter:


Yesterday, we reported that a team from PETA Germany had set off to bring nearly 90 more cats and dogs to safety. They’ve since returned to Poland from Ukraine—with more than 100 animals in tow, all of whom are now safe and being cared for in a shelter. This means that to date, PETA Germany has helped rescue more than 300 companion animals from Ukraine.

It’s not getting easier, but the group is working around the clock to be there for the humans and other animals who desperately need them. After another 24-hour journey, the rescue team is tired but determined. They have been working with a network of amazing Ukrainian people, performing miracles to bring animals to safety. Here are some of the humans and other animals they helped yesterday:

The team met up with local activists and the more than 100 cats and dogs who had been brought on a dangerous days-long journey from a shelter in Kyiv, helping to deliver them all safely across the border in Poland.

PETA Germany also transported Nika; her cat companion, Misty; and 22 other cats who are all now safe and receiving lots of love and attention at a shelter in Poland. Misty, who was feeling ill last night, is being seen by a veterinarian today.

And this is Ludmilla, the human pictured below, who is keeping a sweet deaf and blind dog warm under her jacket. She found the animal, whom she calls “Little Hedgehog,” tied to a lamppost and brought him along with the other animals when she fled Kyiv.

And just as PETA Germany was about to leave, this sweet, abandoned fellow was delivered to the team by caring locals. He, too, is now at the shelter with his new dog and human friends. Once he’s been microchipped, sterilized, and vaccinated, he—like all the others—will be ready to be adopted into a permanent home far away from war.

And below is Lena—she fled Kyiv with her cat companion, Dracula, after a missile hit her neighbor’s house. It took them 20 hours to travel from Kyiv to Lviv, where she was picked up by PETA Germany’s team. She is one of hundreds of thousands of people leaving the country together with their beloved animals.

Meanwhile, PETA U.K. is urgently compelling its local officials to ease border restrictions, to join the many other countries in Europe and beyond that are providing humans and other animals, like Lena and Dracula, with refuge.


“There’s no time to lose when animals need us.”

It’s become the unofficial motto of PETA Germany’s Ukraine rescue team, a group of activists who have already completed three successful rescue missions—and they’ve now hit the road, headed for Lviv, Ukraine, determined to knock out a fourth.

“It’s a tough journey, as the road is covered with ice and it’s been snowing all night. We are driving carefully from Poland and hope to arrive soon, as more animals are waiting for us. This time, we are going to pick up almost 90 cats and dogs,” a team member reports. These animals all come from a shelter in Kyiv, on the other side of Ukraine. Other brave activists have traveled more than 300 miles to help bring them to safety.

To date, PETA Germany has rescued more than 200 cats and dogs in Ukraine.

One of them is Mishka, pictured above. She and her friend Rouzha (below) were living on the streets of Lviv. A kind local woman (above) had fed and cared for both dogs for many years. She was in tears when she met PETA Germany’s team—at once sad to part with her friends and enormously happy and relieved to know that Mishka and Rouzha would be safe and would spend the rest of their lives in a loving home.

And not only dogs are being rescued—just look how grateful this cat is to his human rescuer!

All these cats and dogs are getting the care they need and will soon be vaccinated and spayed or neutered, and then they’ll be ready to move to their permanent homes.


After setting off yesterday morning, PETA Germany’s team returned this morning, managing to bring a further 70 cats and dogs into Poland.

Most of the animals are in good health, but those who need veterinary help are receiving round-the-clock care.

UPDATE 🇺🇦:The team made it back to Poland! We’ve just successfully finished our THIRD rescue mission in Ukraine,…

Posted by PETA UK on Tuesday, March 8, 2022

The animals have come from all over Ukraine. Some were found tied to railings or in abandoned carriers. Brave local rescuers brought them to Lviv so that PETA Germany’s team could pick them up and transport them across the border. Some of them have traveled over 300 miles to reach safety. Among them are a very sick dog (see below), who is refusing to eat or drink, and a cat with a broken leg. Both are now being looked after by veterinarians.

After getting a little sleep, PETA Germany’s team will gear up for the next rescue mission—its fourth—to bring more cats and dogs into Poland from Ukraine.

A third truck carrying another 44,000 pounds of food for cats and dogs set off this morning for Odessa, a city in southern Ukraine. Reportedly, some dwindling provisions for humans still remain there, but animals in the city have been hungry for four days now—PETA Germany is doing everything it can to ensure that the transport arrives soon.

A PETA Germany team and other activists are at the Medyka border between Poland and Ukraine, too, giving away food and water to families arriving with animal companions. They’re also offering essential information and humanitarian aid to the people there.

Thank you to everyone who has left words of support for PETA Germany’s teams on the ground on social media—your encouragement means the world to them.


With two vans, one animal ambulance, and plans to rescue another 80 animals from Ukraine and bring them to safety in Poland, PETA entities are on another rescue mission.

UPDATE 🇺🇦:Crossing the Polish border back into Ukraine on another rescue mission. Wish our team luck on this risky…

Posted by PETA UK on Monday, March 7, 2022

Thanks to a network of brave volunteers, cats and dogs from all over Ukraine are being taken to a shelter in Lviv, in the west of the country, where PETA Germany is collecting them. The group will then help them be adopted into loving homes or reunited with their families.

UPDATE 🇺🇦: We are in Lviv picking up these traumatised dogs who were bravely delivered here from Kyiv by rescue…

Posted by PETA UK on Monday, March 7, 2022

All the animals rescued last week are safe and being cared for. Their stomachs are full, and they’re receiving all necessary veterinary care and being spayed or neutered as well as vaccinated and given some much-needed TLC. Thirty-six of them are now en route to Germany, where they will be put up for adoption far away from the conflict zone.

On Friday, three volunteers bringing food to an animal shelter in Bucha, just outside Kyiv, were shot and killed, reportedly by Russian troops. The three fearless individuals successfully delivered the provisions to the shelter—which had gone without food for three days—before being tragically killed.

“She was one of the best human beings I knew .… She loved animals,”

said the husband of 26-year-old Anastasiia Yalanskaya, one of the volunteers who lost their lives. We salute these three heroes, and PETA entities will channel their bravery and perseverance as they carry on this important work.

In addition to the 88,000 pounds of food taken to Ukraine last week, PETA Germany has organized the delivery of 40,000 more pounds of food for cats and dogs, which is now on its way to Odessa in southern Ukraine.


PETA Germany completed two parallel rescue missions in Ukraine on the night of Thursday, March 3. Facing grave danger, the organization and animal group Viva! Poland rescued nearly 100 hungry cats and dogs, many of whom were very sick. The animals made it across the Polish border, and now they’re being treated by veterinarians.

At the same time, another team from PETA Germany and Polish animal group White Paw crossed the border into Ukraine to rescue an additional 26 cats and a dog. During this rescue, they delivered 44,000 pounds of food and other supplies, which are now being distributed across the country. And they have already delivered a second truck packed full of food and other emergency supplies since then.

PETA Germany is fighting through congested roads and miles of red tape to get animals to Poland. These trips will be followed by many more.


Since Russia invaded Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country. Russia continues to attack, and more than 130,000 people are on the run. Many already traumatized people have been and are being faced with the impossible decision of leaving their beloved dogs, cats, and other family members behind due to the protocol for the noncommercial movement of companion animals into the European Union (EU). A team from PETA Germany has traveled to the Polish and Romanian borders to provide on-site assistance: They’ve managed to rescue exhausted cats and dogs and is helping to shepherd animals to safety.

Immediately after arriving at the Polish border, PETA Germany’s team helped Crimsee, who was carried by their caring guardian more than 37 miles from the war zone. The woman was so exhausted that she could barely stand.

They are both now safe and receiving support from PETA Germany.

PETA Germany’s team also responded to a call for help when several dogs were crossing the border with their human guardians and needed urgent care. All involved were debilitated and frightened.

Read More February 2022 Updates

PETA Entities Call For Safe Passage for Humans and Companion Animals Into the EU

The current regulations for bringing companion animals into the EU and the U.K. are impossible for refugees to follow in a state of war: Animals such as dogs and cats must be vaccinated and microchipped and need an antibody titer for rabies confirmed through a serological test to enter the EU—but many of those who have been forced to flee don’t meet these requirements.

So PETA entities worldwide have appealed to the EU to temporarily suspend the legal entry requirements for animals at EU country borders. And mercifully, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, and others are agreeing to ease entry regulations for humans and their animal companions. While implementation remains complicated on the ground, PETA Germany is doing everything it can—even befriending guards who display a soft spot for animals—to make the movement of companion animals into the EU as feasible and safe as possible.

PETA U.K. is urging officials to ease entry restrictions so that Ukrainian refugees can enter the U.K. with their animal companions, too.

In Asia, following PETA India’s appeal, the Indian government relaxed import requirements for animal companions from Ukraine, enabling them to travel with their guardians to India, and many Indians have been sharing their happy stories.

PETA Latino persuaded officials to offer companion animals refuge, too: Following reports that Mexico’s plan to evacuate its citizens from war-torn Ukraine would not include companion animals, the group rushed a letter to Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, urging him to reconsider and allow animals to accompany their fleeing families—and it worked! Mexican citizens fleeing the war in Ukraine were allowed to evacuate with their companion animals.

Food for Animals in Need

In an undertaking with many obstacles, PETA Germany has coordinated the delivery of blankets and 44,000 pounds of dog and cat food. Stores in Ukraine are closed and supplies are running low, so the group is doing everything in its power to move other urgently needed goods into the country to provide relief.

Eduxanima, a PETA Germany partner organization in Romania, also managed to get across the border into Ukraine to collect dogs who had been left behind. It’s also offering to vaccinate dogs and cats free of charge, carry out necessary blood tests, and provide the animals with sufficient food and veterinary care.

Please consider helping the team provide as many animals as possible with vital resources, including food and veterinary care, by giving to PETA’s Global Compassion Fund right away.




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