Themes by tag: animals

On December 13 and 14, the AdoptMe Days adoption festival, where animals from over 40 shelters will be looking for homes, will take place in Kyiv. This is the nineteenth event, and 2,047 cats and dogs have found their families since the festival began.

A five-month-old cat named Izium became the 2,000th animal to find its pet parents at AdoptMe Days. He was evacuated from the Pokrovsk sector. Izium waited for his people for over two months and found them in October when a family took him home directly from the festival.

Those not ready for adoption can become Secret Santas for shelter animals by participating in a fundraiser, the proceeds of which will be distributed among the shelters at the end of the festival.

• animals
• Kyiv

The project is aimed at military personnel in Kyiv for rotation or recovering from injuries. The project’s goal is to help servicemembers who have just returned from the front line recover psychologically and physically, relieve stress, improve their mood, and boost morale.

The methodology, developed by Hanna Buraho, a Gestalt therapist and the founder of the Spirit Rehabilitation Center, is based on interacting with animals (horses, dogs, and cats).

Group sessions in hippotherapy, canine therapy, and psychotherapy are conducted with groups of 12 military personnel. The sessions consist of several stages. First, participants gather in a circle and work with a psychotherapist. Then, they move to the stable where they get acquainted with the horses, groom them, and treat them with snacks under the supervision of a hippotherapist. Finally, they ride the horses and perform exercises with them.

Since its inception in the summer of 2022, the project has attracted approximately 5,000 participants.

Journalists may cover the Spirit Warrior project by prior arrangement.

• animals
• culture
• military
• psychological support
• Kyiv

Currently, several hundred animals are being cared for at the Bat Rehabilitation Center in Kharkiv. However, volunteers explain that this is only the beginning of the winter season, and they expect to take in several thousand bats under their care, as they did last year. The bats are brought to the Center from various Ukrainian cities.

There, specialists help the animals survive the winter, a time when bats become vulnerable and require special conditions. Animals needing extra care are fed and treated.

Due to blackouts, the center purchased a generator and an EcoFlow unit because the refrigerators where the bats are kept require constant power.

Since the full-scale war began, the rehabilitation center has increased its operations. Specialists are now focused on bat conservation and scientific research.

Journalists can speak with the Bat Rehabilitation Center coordinator, biologist Alona Shulenko, online or in person in Kharkiv by prior arrangement.

• animals
• blackout
• volunteers
• Kharkiv

A seriously injured dog who would later be named Lavr after a train accident had both of his front legs severed. Against the odds, he survived.

To give the special-need dog a chance at a full life, bioengineers in Dnipro developed custom titanium prosthetics using the same advanced osseointegration technology created for Ukrainian service members who have lost limbs. Surgeons implanted the prostheses directly into his bones, and after a month in intensive care, Lavr gradually learned to walk again on his new front legs.

During his recovery, Lavr was adopted by Vyacheslav Zaporozhets, the founder of the Tytanovi Rehab prosthetics center. Now Lavr often accompanies Zaporozhets to the center, where he spends time with veterans undergoing rehabilitation. His presence has become a powerful source of encouragement, especially for those who withdraw while coping with the emotional toll of their injuries.

By prior arrangement, visitors in Kyiv can meet Vyacheslav Zaporozhets and see Lavr.

• animals
• Kyiv

In Kramatorsk, less than 20 kilometers from the front line, The Aquarium. Amazing Fish exhibition space continues operating despite escalating danger. Founded by Roman and Iryna in 2020, the venue quickly built the largest collection of marine fish in the Donetsk region before the full-scale invasion upended daily life.

Visitors can still see a wide range of aquatic species, from tangs to flagfish, as well as an ocellate river stingray that has become one of the hall’s standout residents.

As fighting edges closer to the city, some residents fleeing Kramatorsk have entrusted their own fish to the aquarium. Frequent power outages, at times lasting up to two days, pose a serious threat to the animals, and the facility now relies on a donor-funded generator to keep its tanks running. The team says they need a second generator to balance the load and ensure the fish remain safe.

Roman and Iryna are also weighing whether to relocate their marine collection to a more secure location if conditions deteriorate further.

They are available for interviews both in person and online.

• animals
• blackout
• culture

Before russia’s full-scale invasion, Olena and Valentyn Bielozorenko had spent 11 years building their Lymanska Koza eco-farm in Stanislav, a village in the Kherson region. The couple raised 30 goats, 11 dogs, and 10 cats, made artisanal cheese, and hosted tours for children and adults. But when the war began, their thriving farm suddenly found itself under occupation.

For eight and a half months, Olena and Valentyn lived surrounded by russian forces, surviving by bartering food with neighbors. When Ukrainian troops liberated the village, they stayed on for another year, enduring relentless shelling. Several strikes hit their property, killing one animal, burning their feed, and leaving Valentyn with a concussion.

By October 2023, the couple decided they could no longer stay. They evacuated to the Kyiv region, where fellow displaced Ukrainians from Donetsk welcomed them and offered a farmhouse and land free of charge. Within a year, their herd had doubled in size, and life began to take root again.

Now, the Bielozorenkos are planning to open a rehabilitation center for Ukrainian soldiers on their new farm, hoping to turn a place once marked by survival into one of healing and recovery.

Olena and Valentyn Bielozorenko are available for online interviews.

For reference: russian forces occupied Kherson early in the full-scale invasion, on March 1, 2022. Ukrainian forces liberated the city on November 11, 2022, but russian troops continue to shell the region regularly.

• animals
• occupation
• russian crimes
• Kherson
• evacuation

A team of Romanian veterinarians, led by Dr. Ioan Răzvan Șuteu from Cluj-Napoca, launched the “RoUa” campaign (its name combining Romania and Ukraine) to provide free veterinary care to injured, abandoned, and neglected animals throughout Ukraine. The initiative grew from Dr. Șuteu’s long-standing work with stray and underserved animals and his experience coordinating a mobile medical network for rural communities.

The core team includes two surgeons (Dr. Șuteu and Dr. Emma Stratulat), an anesthesia specialist from Slovenia, a PR photographer, and student volunteers.

The campaign provides on-site surgeries, sterilizations, and basic medical care; local partnerships (STEP in Brody, Inițiativa Cremeneț) ensure long-term follow-up for animals requiring extended care. The team uses translators and Google Translate to manage language barriers and leaves written treatment instructions for owners and local caregivers.

The team is currently working in Ukraine’s Ternopil region. Interviews with the veterinarians can be arranged in person through October 17 or conducted online by prior request.

• animals
• doctors
• volunteers
• Ternopil

Alto, a one-and-a-half-year-old Golden Retriever, now works at St. Nicholas Children’s Hospital alongside Inna Doroniuk, an educator and early childhood development specialist who volunteers with animals.

Therapy dogs are specially trained four-legged companions who support and comfort patients during treatment and rehabilitation. To qualify, an animal must complete specialized instruction, extensive training, and ultimately pass a behavioral test.

Alto passed his exam with flying colors. His mission at the hospital now includes:

• Aiding in children’s psychotherapeutic recovery;
• Assisting in physical rehabilitation;
• Providing comfort and calming influence;
• Helping to overcome social isolation;
• Offering solace during difficult moments.

By prior arrangement, journalists are invited to cover Alto’s work on-site in Lviv.

• animals
• children
• Lviv

Tetiana Slavinska is a canine handler from Kyiv. In 2015, her military husband returned home after rotation. At the time, Tetiana was worried about how he would adjust to civilian life and decided that a dog would help him relax emotionally. This is how a beloved family member appeared – a Belgian Malinois named Drive. The family began a new life with training, and competitions. At the end of 2022, Tetiana was able to travel to Poland, where Drive was trained to locate the deceased.

The next challenge was physical protection: body armor for the dog. Tetiana searched for protective equipment in Ukraine, Europe, and America. Simultaneously, she considered the possibility of making it herself, as foreign equivalents were very expensive. Tetiana studied foreign models of dog body armor that her military canine handler friends brought her. She also consulted with a veterinarian, because body armor is not just about protection; it’s also about the dog’s ability to move freely. Furthermore, an improperly fitted vest can harm the animal’s joints.

Tetiana experimented with different models, changing the cut and adding new elements. For example, she added a strap to the body armor at the soldiers’ request, allowing the dog to be carried if there is a risk of injuring its paws (from shrapnel, broken glass, etc.). In the summer of 2025, Tetiana received a patent for her product. Currently, she has two working dogs and is using them to help demine the country.

Journalists can speak with Tetiana in person in Kyiv or online, by prior arrangement.

• animals
• women
• Kyiv

The Hospitails’ mission brings together veterinarians and volunteers to evacuate animals from Ukraine’s active combat areas.

One of the key Hospitallers voluntary organization’s efforts first sprang into action in June 2023, after the occupiers blew up the Kakhovka dam, endangering countless animals. Since then, Hospitails has operated systematically, equipping a fully functional mobile operating room that allows the team to vaccinate, treat, and perform surgeries on animals directly in the field.

In its first year, the project rescued and rehomed roughly 200 animals. The team vaccinated and treated 243 animals during field missions, performed 168 surgical and sterilization procedures, and distributed 10 tons of humanitarian aid.

Journalists can cover the team’s work by prior arrangement.

• animals
• doctors
• volunteers