Themes by tag: animals

Andrii Leinveber has been passionate about horses since childhood, and bought his first horse at the age of 14. In 2022, he founded his own equestrian club in Melitopol, a city in southern Ukraine. The club offered riding lessons for adults and children, and Andrii also taught jigiting – the art of trick riding.

After russia’s full-scale invasion began, Andrii’s stable was in danger. russian shelling damaged one of the buildings, and Andrii and his friends had to round up frightened horses scattered throughout the city. He took five horses to his home, while the others were cared for by friends.

When Melitopol was occupied by russian troops, the horses faced a new threat: hunger. The city lacked fodder, as the occupiers forbade travel to other settlements for supplies and deliberately destroyed the hay meant for the horses. One day, Andrii himself was captured by the russians. He was held in a cell for two weeks without contact with the outside world. After his release, Andrii decided to evacuate. He managed to take three horses with him, although it took three attempts to leave – twice he was turned back at russian checkpoints.

Now, Andrii has established a new equestrian club in the Odesa oblast, where he takes care of five horses and a pony. He also invites soldiers to participate in equine therapy.

• animals
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Odesa

An unusual operation called “HUR-CAT” was carried out by fighters of the Tymur special unit of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. The special forces evacuated 15 cats from Snake Island and successfully transported them to the Ukrainian mainland.

The soldiers placed the animals in special carriers and transported them by boat to a safe location. All 15 cats were then delivered to the Sirius shelter in the Kyiv oblast. The animals are now undergoing a period of adjustment and efforts are being made to find them new homes.

Comments from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence can be arranged by appointment. Journalists are also invited to visit the Sirius sanctuary, meet its founder and see the rescued animals.

Background information: The battle for Snake Island began on 24 February 2022 with a missile attack on the Ukrainian border guard garrison stationed there. The attack destroyed all structures on the island, but the Ukrainian border guards continued to resist. After several hours of fighting, russian forces captured Snake and took its defenders prisoner. The island was liberated on the 30th of June 2022, when powerful attacks by Ukrainian forces forced the russian occupiers to hastily evacuate the remnants of their garrison.

• animals
• military
• Kyiv
• evacuation

Maryna Chernyshova, originally from Mariupol, a city currently under enemy control, lived through the early days of the full-scale invasion alongside her family. The family spent over a month under occupation, seeking shelter from relentless shelling in their basement. During this harrowing period, it was their cat, Marsi, who provided emotional support, offering comfort and helping the family navigate through an incredibly difficult time.

Once they were able to escape Mariupol, Marsi accompanied them as the family relocated to the Ternopil region. There, Maryna found herself inspired to create a space for others in need of emotional relief. Noticing the abundance of stray cats in Ternopil, she decided to open a cat café, a place for people to find solace and relaxation.

With a combination of personal savings and funding from the National Network of Local Philanthropy Development, Maryna launched the café, which is now home to two previously homeless cats. The café offers a variety of activities aimed at providing psychological support to its visitors, including stress-relief meditation sessions led by experts. In the future, Maryna hopes to channel a portion of the café’s profits into building an animal shelter to further help animals in need.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• women
• Mariupol
• Ternopil

Recently, the “Domazhyr” bear sanctuary in the Lviv oblast took in two bears. The sanctuary team received an urgent request to take in these bears from the private zoo “Bilytske” in the Donetsk oblast. The zoo was hit by rocket attacks at the end of September and again in October. Fortunately, Nataliia Popova, founder of the Wild Animals Rescue Center near Kyiv, successfully rescued the two bears and other animals.

The two bears were successfully transported to the Lviv oblast despite all the challenges posed by the war. Currently, the bears are doing well and resting in their bear house. As soon as the necessary documents for their transfer are ready, both bears will move to their permanent homes abroad.

Journalists are welcome to cover the bears’ stay at the sanctuary and to speak with sanctuary staff. The bears will remain at the sanctuary for several more months.

For reference: The Domazhyr Bear Sanctuary is a unique brown bear rescue and rehabilitation center in Ukraine, created with the support of the international charity FOUR PAWS, based in Vienna, Austria.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the center has been taking in bears whose lives are in danger. In 2022, for example, the sanctuary took in seven new residents from the Bila Skelia bear sanctuary in Kyiv oblast. They also took in a bear named Bakhmut, who was rescued by the Ukrainian military in Donetsk oblast. He is still living at the sanctuary.

• animals
• Lviv

Before the full-blown war, Olena and Valentyn Bielozorenko dedicated 11 years to developing their eco-farm in Stanislav, Kherson Oblast. The couple cared for 30 goats, 11 dogs, and 10 cats, producing cheese and offering educational excursions for both children and adults. However, when the war erupted, their farm fell under enemy occupation.

For eight and a half months, the Bielozorenkos found themselves surrounded, relying on food exchanges with neighbors to survive. After Ukraine’s Armed Forces liberated their village, they continued to endure for another year in the reclaimed territory, facing persistent shelling. The farm suffered damage from enemy strikes, resulting in the loss of one animal, the destruction of feed supplies, and Valentyn sustaining a concussion.

In October 2023, the couple made the difficult decision to evacuate. They found refuge in the Kyiv region, where they were welcomed by displaced individuals from Donetsk, who generously provided them with a farm and a house at no cost. Within a year at their new location, the number of goats doubled. Looking ahead, Olena and Valentyn plan to establish a rehabilitation center for Ukrainian soldiers on their farm.

For those interested, Olena and Valentyn Bielozorenko are available for online conversations.

For reference: November 11, 2024, will mark the two-year anniversary of Ukraine’s retaking of the city of Kherson from occupying russian forces. 

• animals
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kherson

Four years ago, Valerii received a German shepherd as a gift and decided to teach it basic commands. He was good at working with the dog, so when he was offered a place in the Ukrainian Armed Forces Dog Training Service, Valerii did not hesitate. Just before he started to collect the necessary documents, he bought another dog, Odin. He signed the contract with Odin at his side. Valerii and his four-legged companion underwent five months of training, during which the dog was trained to detect explosives. Soon after, Odin received a special certificate allowing him to serve in the military.

In addition to his service, Valerii manages his social media, posting videos of dog training and promoting Ukrainian cynology. His videos on TikTok have received millions of views. Valerii is also involved in volunteer work, raising funds for food and medicine for other animals.

Valerii lives in Western Ukraine. He is ready to talk with journalists, both online and offline.

• animals
• military

Khrystyna Drahomaretska, 27 years old, is an architect by profession. With the beginning of the full-scale war, the woman started rescuing homeless animals and evacuating them from the war zone. She continues working despite the enemy shelling. For example, recently in Toretsk, Donetsk region, three russian guided aerial bombs struck not far away from Khrystyna. And in Vovchansk, Kharkiv oblast, while rescuing animals, Khrystyna sustained a shrapnel wound from enemy mortar fire.

As a rescuer, she uses a catch pole and a blow-pipe. Khrystyna works with her dog (German shepherd) Miledi that helps to find animals, which Khrystyna has hit with a tranquilizer dart, as they still have a few minutes to run away.

Khrystyna also founded a shelter for four-legged friends in Odesa, where she evacuates some animals from the war zone. There they are treated, taught to behave in the society and put up for adoption (about 70% of the animals go abroad). Currently, there are 160 dogs in Khrystyna’s shelter.

Journalists can learn more about Khrystyna’s work and communicate with her online or in person by prior arrangement.

For reference: Khrystyna rescues animals from the war zone together with the 12 Vartovykh (Guards) Charitable Foundation. She also joined the UAnimals rescue mission.

• animals
• casualties
• women
• Odesa

Twelve years ago, Ihor Tsyba and his family established an ostrich farm in their backyard in the village of Verkhnia Syrovatka, located in Ukraine’s Sumy Oblast. Over the years, the farm grew to house more than 50 different bird species. However, when russia’s full-scale invasion began, their tranquil village was occupied, putting all the animals at risk.

In early March 2022, heavy shelling ravaged the area, injuring several of the birds in their enclosures. Tragically, three ostriches had to be put down due to the severity of their injuries.

After the village was liberated, Tsyba’s farm took on a new mission: rehabilitating wild animals affected by the war. Among the new residents are a roe deer that lost a leg after being struck by a combine harvester and a swan that was rescued from the ice with its wings severely damaged. Despite the challenges, Tsyba uses his own funds to keep the farm running.

For reference, Ihor Tsyba is based in the Sumy region and is available for interviews with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• Sumy

There is a functioning exhibition hall “Aquarium. Amazing Fish” in Kramatorsk, 20 kilometers from the front line. The couple Roman and Iryna founded this exhibition center in 2020. Before the full-scale invasion, they had managed to bring together the largest collection of marine fish in Donetsk region.

Nowadays, visitors can see a wide variety of aquatic life in the Aquarium: from tangs to flagfish. There is also an ocellate river stingray. In addition, the Aquarium sheltered two turtles amidst the war (one was found in the city garden with one leg bitten off, and the other one’s aquarium cracked due to shelling).

As a result of blackouts, both marine and freshwater animals died in the exhibition center. And due to the proximity of “Aquarium. Amazing Fish” to the front line, the founders are thinking about whether they will have to evacuate all the marine inhabitants to safety.

Journalists have the opportunity to communicate with Iryna and Roman online or in person.

• animals
• blackout
• culture

The Hospitails project is a team of veterinarians and volunteers who have come together to help and evacuate animals in the frontline areas.

A year ago, when the occupiers blew up the Kakhovka dam, the team set out to rescue four-legged friends from the disaster zone, which marked the day when the initiative started working systematically. Hospitals equipped a full-fledged mobile operating room, which allows treating and vaccinating animals as well as performing surgeries in field conditions.

Within the year of operation, the team evacuated and found homes for about 200 animals. During their trips, 243 animals were vaccinated and treated. 168 “tails” were operated on and sterilized. They also distributed 10 tons of humanitarian aid.

For reference: The Hospitails project is a joint initiative of the Hospitallers medical volunteer battalion and Hvostati Charitable Foundation, which helps and finds homes for animals.

• animals
• casualties
• volunteers
• evacuation