Themes by tag: animals

The 22nd edition of AdoptMe Days, the largest festival in the project’s history, will take place in Kyiv on July 18–19. The event is organized to help hundreds of cats and dogs find their future families. Admission is free.

This year, around 400 cats and 300 dogs from animal shelters will be looking for permanent homes. All participating animals have undergone veterinary examinations, received the required vaccinations, been treated for parasites, and been sterilized according to their age. Shelter representatives will be available throughout the festival to assist prospective adopters, and each caretaker can provide detailed information about the animal’s personality, habits, and needs.

The adoption process consists of several stages: meeting the animal, speaking with its caretaker, and signing an adoption agreement. Visitors only need to bring a valid ID. All animals are adopted free of charge.

Background: Over the past two years, AdoptMe Days has helped 2,331 animals find loving homes. The festival was created as a welcoming space where visitors can meet cats and dogs without pressure, speak with shelter representatives, and learn more about responsible pet adoption.

The festival will also feature animal first aid lectures by Ukrainian First Aid Movement, a food court, a recreation area, interactive activities hosted by partners, and a photo zone.

• animals
• Kyiv

As a result of russian shelling of Kyiv, the capital’s zoo was damaged. Turtles and crocodiles sustained injuries. Zoo staff, who provide round-the-clock care for the animals, immediately provided them with the necessary assistance. Fortunately, no animals died. Buildings of the primate and bird departments, the winter garden dome, the aquaterrarium, the hay storage facility, and the northern entrance group were also damaged on the premises.

The zoo is open to media requests to document its current operations.

• animals
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

UNBROKEN ANIMALS aims to establish a comprehensive canine therapy system in Lviv. To achieve this, 10 “handler + dog” teams will be formed. Following specialized training and certification, these teams will regularly visit patients at the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Center.

The program will be Ukraine’s first systemic initiative providing emotional support to veterans, female veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families with the help of therapy dogs. The initiative is designed to help people undergoing medical treatment and rehabilitation recover through interaction with specially trained animals.

• animals
• casualties
• psychological support
• Lviv

Olena Velychenko is the founder of the Grand Dog canine training center in Kherson. Together with her team, she taught dog owners how to build connections with their pets, while training dogs to assist people.

However, everything changed after the start of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. For some time, Olena remained under occupation together with the dogs, even though her center had been destroyed by russian forces. Following the liberation of the city, she relocated to Odesa, where she began rebuilding her life’s work.

Today, the Grand Dog canine training center also operates in Odesa, providing support to children, internally displaced people, veterans, and individuals going through difficult periods in their lives. Velychenko conducts classes for children free of charge.

Olena Velychenko is available for interviews both online and in person in Odesa by prior arrangement.

• animals
• casualties
• occupation
• women
• Odesa

At the beginning of June, 22 dolphins washed ashore in the Tuzly Lagoons National Nature Park. Scientists later found another 15 dead animals. The information was reported by Ivan Rusev, Doctor of Biological Sciences and head of the research department of the Tuzly Lagoons National Nature Park.

The biologist stresses that the ecosystem is suffering from ongoing hostilities, including mine explosions, bombardments, missile launches and the use of powerful sonars by military vessels. Together with his team, Ivan Rusev documents and records every case of ecocide on a daily basis.

Ivan Rusev is available for interviews both online and in person by prior arrangement.

• animals
• ecology
• russian crimes

Kyiv Military Hub, together with the Kyiv Hippodrome, holds horse riding classes twice a week for Ukrainian defenders and veterans.

Each session lasts 40 minutes — enough time to learn basic riding skills, enjoy the experience and simply recharge.

Equine-assisted therapy for veterans includes:

• physical impact, as the horse transmits rhythmic movement impulses to the rider, activating muscles and the vestibular system;
• psychological and emotional support, as interaction with animals — even without riding — helps reduce stress, alleviate depression and support emotional recovery.

By prior arrangement, journalists are welcome to attend and cover the classes held in Kyiv.

Background: Since the initiative was launched, more than 2,000 defenders, veterans and their family members have taken part in the classes.

• animals
• culture
• military
• Kyiv

Before the full-scale invasion, Yurii Yahusevych worked in music and organised festivals, while also keeping horses. Among the animals he acquired was one of the Polissian breed, which he later discovered was nearly extinct. He decided to revive the breed in Ukraine.

Yahusevych established his Shcherbati Tsuhli farm in northern Kyiv region, where there was enough space for a small herd. Shortly before February 2022, he and a team of enthusiasts relocated young horses farther from the border, while seven adult animals remained behind. After the start of the full-scale russian invasion, the horses ended up under occupation.

Following the liberation of Kyiv region, the animals were left without pasture, as the area was contaminated with remnants of explosives and, in some places, mined.

A year ago, Yahusevych and the horses relocated to Khmelnytskyi region, where he has since rebuilt the farm. Some animals were entrusted to local residents, while he continues to care for the rest.

Journalists can arrange interviews with Yurii Yahusevych both online and in person in Khmelnytskyi region by prior arrangement.

• animals
• occupation
• Khmelnytskyi

Starting March 29, ceremonial releases of rescued Red Book-listed bats will take place across Ukraine. The animals were rescued by volunteers from different regions of the country. Over the winter of 2025–2026, more than 4,000 bats were rehabilitated.

Volunteers invite the public to attend the events and take part in the releases. The bats will be released at sunset, preceded by a briefing on their rehabilitation.
Events are scheduled as follows:
March 29 — Cherkasy and Rivne,
April 4 — Ivano-Frankivsk, Kyiv and Poltava,
April 5 — Lviv and Vinnytsia,
April 10 — Kamianske,
April 11 — Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih,
April 12 — Kharkiv.

• animals
• volunteers

On March 21–22, Kyiv will host the 20th AdoptMe Days pet adoption festival. The event is aimed at those looking to adopt a pet, learn more about responsible adoption, or simply spend the weekend in a meaningful way.

Visitors will meet healthy animals from nearly 60 shelters across the Kyiv region, all hoping to find a home.

Many shelters are operating at the limit of their capacity, especially after a difficult winter. Despite the challenges, they have continued rescuing and caring for animals, hoping that spring will bring their wards not only warmth, but also loving homes.

Over the past two years, AdoptMe Days has helped more than 2,170 animals from shelters find families.

• animals
• Kyiv

An equestrian sports complex in the Kharkiv region survived occupation and was left without management: in 2022, the owner abandoned it on the eve of the region’s liberation from russian forces. Criminal proceedings were opened against the owner. The horses were cared for by stableman Oleksii Boliukh despite the absence of salary.

The complex was placed under arrest, which prevented volunteers from evacuating the horses to a safer location for several years. However, this year the situation due to ongoing shelling worsened, and the stableman’s house was destroyed by a russian strike. As a result, the animals were evacuated.

The operation was planned to be completed in four days but lasted ten due to constant shelling. Military personnel, the police evacuation unit “White Angels,” volunteers, and humanitarian organizations joined the rescue effort. Ultimately, the 19 horses were transported to the Kharkiv Hippodrome, where they are now under the care of the animal welfare organization “Animals 911 Ukraine.”

Interviews with the volunteer team are available both online and offline in Kharkiv by prior arrangement.

• animals
• occupation
• volunteers
• Kharkiv
• evacuation