Dear friends,
The war in Ukraine is having a devastating effect on countless thousands of dogs, cats and other animals. As the Russian war machine advances into civilian areas, killing indiscriminately, more people are abandoning their animals as they flee the violence. |
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Left alone, terrified and hungry, animals scavenge a meager survival from the ruins of what were once their homes.
Tragically, while more animals are suffering on the frontlines, less people seem to care, and donations are rapidly drying up. |
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Last week I visited four Ukraine war zones, where death can rain from a clear blue sky in a single instant – a terrifying reality we experienced for ourselves. While working in Dnipro, Russian bombs fell so close to us that car windows shattered as civilians scrambled for cover.
As you can imagine, my team and I were scared, but at least we knew what was going on and what to do to have a chance of survival – unlike the innocent animals who are falling victim to the terrible violence that has engulfed them. Can you even imagine how terrified they must be?
Every day, Russian forces creep closer and closer to our partners and the animals they care for. And with every advance the enemies make, they leave a trail of destruction and death in their wake. |
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Credit: NFA/David Barritt |
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The war is worsening daily and innocent animals are caught in the crossfire. Will you help us save their lives? |
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After experiencing the horrors of the war zone firsthand, I can tell you that the heroes saving animals from the frontline are risking life and limb each and every day. Dodging bullets, explosions and debris to save animal lives is a harrowing experience, yet our partners are undeterred, venturing into nightmarish hellscapes to rescue any animals they can.
These dedicated animal-lovers are driven by the same motivation that drives us and generous supporters like you – the desire to save animals from suffering and distress, no matter the cost.
In a time when more and more people are choosing to ignore the plight of these defenseless animals, we cannot turn away. Our partners desperately need funds to continue their life-saving work, or more animals will die.
Working in a war zone, where provisions are hard to get and extremely costly, is no easy task. With your donations, we can equip our partners with crucial food and medical supplies, while expanding overcrowded shelters so we can save even more lives. |
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In a stunning example of our partners’ unmatched bravery, a sniper tried to take out our partner vet as she was conducting an emergency operation on a cat she had just rescued from a bomb site.
Despite the danger, she continued to operate, saving the cat’s life!
These are the heroes your donations help. |
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Our partners are astonishingly brave. Not many people dare go to the frontline, but our teams don’t hesitate for a second to leap into the fray. They drive on ruined roads, sometimes for 19 hours, right into the heart of the battle, always under threat of attack. When they reach the battleground, they scour bombed buildings to rescue and treat dogs, cats and any other injured, abandoned animals, often encountering the dead bodies of both humans and animals.
Watch our video to see our teams in action. |
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According to some estimates, only ten people dare to venture into the thick of the fighting to save animals: We are proud to be working with three of these courageous people. When the war started, we made a promise to stay in Ukraine until the violence ends. We have upheld that promise, and are still saving animal lives in some of the worst-hit areas when many other organizations have abandoned the cause. No matter how bad it gets, we will remain – because the animals rely on us, and we are steadfast on our mission to help them.
Our partners tell us that people are losing their compassion for animal victims of war, and as donations dwindle, we are on the brink of being overwhelmed by the flood of animals in desperate need.
In times of war, animals always come last; without animal-lovers like us, these blameless creatures would have no-one to turn to. We must continue our vital work, but we can’t save lives without your help. |
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NFA has been active in Ukraine since the war broke out, helping to rescue countless creatures who would otherwise be blown to bits or starve amidst the ruins. We have bought three animal ambulances, helped rescue and treat thousands of dogs and cats, and provided ton after ton of crucial food, but it’s still not enough. Russian troops are advancing every day, causing even more animals to be injured, abandoned and forced from their homes. |
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Tragically, the animals are simply collateral damage, with shelters being destroyed as Russians shell Ukrainian cities. |
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With neighboring countries largely closing their borders to animal refugees, we’re moving the rescued animals to temporary shelters in safer, rural areas while we work to get them out of Ukraine.
As bombs fall and donations dry up, the need continues to grow. Right now, we are desperately trying to find the funds to expand a dog shelter, enlarge a cat shelter, find a sanctuary for horses, pigs and 100 dogs, get fuel for our partners to continue vital rescue operations, provide transport cages for 800 dogs stuck in Kharkiv, and deliver food to 236 rescued cats.
Each of these needs is unbelievably urgent, and I have no idea how we are going to achieve all our immediate goals. But like our brave volunteers, we will find a way – because it needs to be done. |
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Your donations are absolutely critical to the success of our life-saving work. Please be a friend to animals in war-stricken Ukraine by donating to Network for Animals right now.
The war is dragging on, but that is not the fault of the animals who are simply caught in the crossfire. These innocent creatures only have kind-hearted souls like you and I to rely on for help, so please donate right now and show the animals of Ukraine that there are still people who care about them. |
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For the animals, 
David Barritt
Executive Director
Network for Animals |
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P.S. Every donation, no matter how small, is a sorely-needed act of compassion in what can seem like a wicked world. Please show Ukraine’s animals some much-needed kindness by donating generously today. |
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Banner credit: Al Jazeera |
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