Ukraine Updates
Since just days after the war in Ukraine started in February 2022, PETA Germany and its partners have been risking it all to save animals in need. From flooding to missile strikes, Global Compassion Fund–backed teams have risked it all to help Ukraine’s animals. Meet some of the beautiful souls who now have a second chance at life because of your support.
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October 2024
October 3, 2024
Watch How PETA-Supported Rescuers Brought Iholochka From Her Destroyed Home to Safety—All While Under Fire in Ukraine
While Iholochka’s village in Ukraine was under fire, the lone dog hid in the basement of her burned-down home. Then PETA-supported rescuers showed up.
September 2024
September 26, 2024
20 Animals and Their Guardian Rescued From War Zone, Thanks to This PETA-Supported Team in Ukraine
Several people have contacted the PETA-supported Animal Rescue Kharkiv team to help the many animals who are in cities and villages near the front lines in Ukraine. Find out how they helped evacuate a local woman and the 20 animals in her care.
Read More September 2024 Updates
September 20, 2024
How PETA-Supported Teams Helped 17 Pigs Escape a War Zone
A family of pigs living less than a mile from the front lines of the war in Ukraine were the victims of constant shelling and explosions. PETA-backed Animal Rescue Kharkiv arrived to evacuate the terrified family. Find out more about the pig rescue and how you can support this vital work.
September 6, 2024
Rescued From the Flames: How Amur the Dog Survived a Missile Strike
An explosion during the ongoing war in Ukraine changed this dog’s life forever. Amur’s home in Chasiv Yar was struck by missiles, and his hiding place caught fire. Fortunately, his life has changed for the better since a PETA-backed team from Animal Rescue Kharkiv arrived to help him.
August 2024
August 23, 2024
Dodging Bombs and Daring Rescues—Don’t Miss the Latest Video From Ukraine
PETA-supported rescuers rushed to the war-torn city of Chasiv Yar at dusk to evacuate eight dogs. Watch the daring eleventh-hour rescue and support PETA’s Global Compassion Fund.
Read More August 2024 Updates
August 16, 2024
PETA-Supported Team and Brave Resident Rescue 20+ Animals
Despite the war raging nearby, one brave man, Serhii, helped care for animals in Ukraine, even when the streets were under fire. Learn more about how he and rescuers from PETA-supported Animal Rescue Kharkiv helped rescue more than 20 animals.
August 9, 2024
PETA-Supported Teams Rescue Animals During Evacuation
After residents evacuated a war-torn Ukrainian city, countless animals were left behind. Watch PETA-backed rescue teams face the front lines to save lives.
August 2, 2024
How Rescuers Save Cats on the Front Lines in Ukraine
Rescuing frightened felines on the front lines in Ukraine presents a unique set of challenges. See how PETA-supported teams face them head-on, and learn how to support their work.
July 2024
July 26, 2024
Watch a Jaw-Dropping,
72-Hour Rescue Mission to Save More Than 100 Lives in Ukraine
For a heart-wrenching 882 days, dogs, cats, and other animals in Ukraine have been living a nightmare. Watch how a PETA-supported team made the most of 72 hours.
Read More July 2024 Updates
July 19, 2024
Must-See Video: This Dog Survived a Missile Strike in
Ukraine
Don is one lucky dog. He miraculously survived a missile strike a week before a PETA-supported team in Ukraine found him and his caretakers. See how this team helped Don and his family escape the war zone.
July 12, 2024
Scooped to Safety: Terrified Cats Saved From War Zone by PETA-Supported Teams
In Ukraine, the booms of war terrify stray and abandoned animals struggling to survive in the war zone. See how PETA-supported teams are helping them.
June 2024
June 28, 2024
800 Animals Rescued From Ukraine War Hell
Every day, PETA-supported teams race through battle zones in Ukraine to rescue more animals, showering these battle-worn souls with food, love, and unwavering care. Check out their latest feats!
Read More June 2024 Updates
June 21, 2024
VIDEO: Rescuers in Ukraine Pull Animals From the Battlefield
Abandoned animals found themselves in grave danger in Vovchansk, Ukraine, as bombs closed in around them—but rescuers knew what to do. Learn how to support their vital work.
June 14, 2024
PETA-Supported Animal Rescue Teams Scour Streets for Survivors in Ukraine
Undeterred by air raids and hellish battles, PETA-supported animal rescuers take to the rubble-strewn streets of Ukraine, scouring them for survivors.
June 7, 2024
Pig Rescued in Ukraine Amid Bombing, Thanks to PETA-Supported Team
PETA-supported rescuers knew they had to act fast to evacuate a pig from a deadly situation in Ukraine. Find out how they saved the day again!
May 2024
May 31, 2024
Pulled From the Rubble! Twenty Animals Rescued in Vovchansk, Ukraine
Traumatized dogs, cats, rabbits, and other animals were in a grim situation in Vovchansk, Ukraine, but PETA-supported teams arrived in time to pull them from the rubble.
Read More May 2024 Updates
May 24, 2024
Dogs Stranded in a Devastating Assault Outside Kharkiv
On a harrowing mission deep in war-torn Vovchansk, Ukraine, a PETA-supported rescue team stared death in the face to save four dogs.
May 17, 2024
BREAKING: Urgent Animal Rescue Operation Underway in Ukraine’s Kharkiv War Zone
PETA-supported teams in Ukraine are undergoing an emergency evacuation for hundreds of animals in their care—find out how to help them save a life.
May 10, 2024
Rescued in Ukraine! Butch the Dog’s Astonishing Transformation
PETA-supported teams in Ukraine showered terrified dog Butch with love and medical care until he was ready to start his new life. Watch the video now!
May 3, 2024
Amid Bombs and Gunfire, PETA-Supported Rescuers Save Nearly 2 Dozen Animals
Animals near combat zones were distressed, anxious, and urgently in need of help. Watch PETA-supported teams in Ukraine push all fears aside to get survivors to safety.
April 2024
April 26, 2024
How Did Sick Dog Britney Survive in a Heavily Bombed City? Watch the Videouers in Ukraine
Britney was cowering in an old barn, hiding from the terrifying onslaught of gunfire in a Ukrainian town, when PETA-supported teams came to her rescue.
Read More April 2024 Updates
April 19, 2024
60 Dogs and Cats Are on Their Way to New Lives, Thanks to Rescuers in Ukraine
The day before PETA-supported teams arrived, two bombs hit a town in Ukraine. Watch the video to see how they worked with compassionate people to get animals out.
April 15, 2024
5 Dogs in Ukraine Rescued From Abandoned Village—Watch Now!
Through hunger, cancer, and festering wounds, these dogs clung to survival against all odds. Watch as a PETA-supported team gives them the care they desperately need.
April 8, 2024
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. You won’t want to miss this sweet boy’s fantastic transformation.
March 2024
March 29, 2024
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.
Read More March 2024 Updates
March 22, 2024
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.
March 15, 2024
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.
March 8, 2024
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.
February 2024
February 23, 2024
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
February 16, 2024
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.
February 2, 2024
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.
January 2024
January 25, 2024
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
January 18, 2024
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.
January 12, 2024
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!
January 5, 2024
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!
December 2023
December 22, 2023
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
December 11, 2023
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.
December 1, 2023
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.
November 2023
November 21, 2023
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
November 17, 2023
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!
November 10, 2023
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.
November 3, 2023
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!
October 2023
October 27, 2023
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.
Read More October 2023 Updates
October 20, 2023
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.
September 2023
September 29, 2023
How a Dog Named Victory Escaped Defeat in Ukraine—and More!
Thanks to your donations, PETA-supported rescuers are able to answer the call when animals, like Lada and Victory, in Ukraine need help.
Read More September 2023 Updates
September 11, 2023
A ‘Tail’ of Two Dogs: Charik and Graf Will Live to See Another Day
Don’t miss how PETA-supported teams in Ukraine saved the lives of Charik, Graf, and many others when all hope seemed lost. Then find out how you can help animals like them!
August 2023
August 17, 2023
The Will to Be! Hamlet’s Story May Have You Crying Tears of Joy
After suffering the slings and arrows (or in this case—missiles) of outrageous fortune, Hamlet and his guardian were left with only their lives—and injured Hamlet needed help, fast.
Read More August 2023 Updates
August 16, 2023
Vegan Meals for Soldiers and More: See How PETA-Supported Teams Are Making an Impact in Ukraine
For more than 6,500 dogs, cats, donkeys, and other animals, rescue teams supported by PETA’s Global Compassion Fund were the difference between life and death.
July 2023
July 2023
Front Line Animal Rescuer in Ukraine: Infinitely Grateful for PETA
Igor Sobko has seen horrors and heartwarming recoveries while working with PETA-supported rescue teams to save animals in Ukraine. Learn how you can support this work!
June 2023
June 27, 2023
Watch: A Soldier’s Plea to Stop Violence
This Ukrainian medic on the war’s front lines has a powerful message for the world.
Read More June 2023 Updates
June 20, 2023
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.
June 15, 2023
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.
June 13, 2023
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.
June 9, 2023
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.
June 8, 2023
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.
June 7, 2023
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.
May 2023
May 2023
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:
Read More May 2023 Updates
May 2023
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.
April 2023
April 2023
PETA-Supported Teams Rescue 1,000 Fish and Help Ukraine Soldiers Save Dogs
The PETA-supported team was asked to rescue 1,000 fish from the battle zone in Bakhmut—and you’ll never guess what they offered the owner!
March 2023
March 2023
PETA-Supported Teams Overcome Tremendous Odds to Secure Food for 35 Skinny Horses in Ukraine
From orphans feeding homeless animals to a little dog getting a chance at a better life, you won’t want to miss these updates from PETA-supported rescuers in Ukraine. Here’s how your Global Compassion Fund support is making all of this possible!
February 2023
February 2023
War Zone Rescues: Saving Lives in Ukraine
The invasion of Ukraine isn’t a catastrophe just for humans—the life of every animal in the country is at risk. Learn how PETA Germany and its partners are saving lives in the war zone.
December 2022
December 2, 2022
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.
November 2022
November 25, 2022
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
November 14, 2022
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.
November 4, 2022
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.
October 2022
October 28, 2022
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.”
Read More October 2022 Updates
October 21, 2022
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.
October 7, 2022
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.
September 2022
September 30, 2022
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
September 23, 2022
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.
September 16, 2022
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.
August 2022
August 31, 2022
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
August 11, 2022
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.
August 4, 2022
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.
July 2022
July 29, 2022
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.
Read More July 2022 Updates
July 22, 2022
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.
July 12, 2022
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.
July 8, 2022
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.
July 1, 2022
PETA Germany and its partners in Ukraine face new challenges every day—but with new obstacles come new triumphs.
June 2022
June 24, 2022
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
June 13, 2022
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.
June 6, 2022
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.
May 2022
May 18, 2022
PETA Germany is building shelters in Hungary to host animals rescued from Ukraine.
Read More May 2022 Updates
May 10, 2022
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.
April 2022
April 26, 2022
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.
Read More April 2022 Updates
April 14, 2022
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.
April 11, 2022
As the rescue missions continue, meet some of the brave Ukrainians who have risked their lives to save animals.
April 1, 2022
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.
March 2022
March 28, 2022
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.
Read More March 2022 Updates
March 25, 2022
The rescue missions continue! PETA Germany rescued 44 more cats and dogs.
March 24, 2022
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.
March 23, 2022
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.
March 22, 2022
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.
March 21, 2022
Another 40,000 pounds of food has been delivered to feed hungry cats and dogs in Odesa, Ukraine. Their grateful faces say it all.
March 20, 2022
Marius and Pamplemousse have been reunited with their families!
March 19, 2022
PETA entities helped evacuate these dogs from a shelter that was bombarded near Kyiv.
March 18, 2022
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.
March 17, 2022
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.
March 16, 2022
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.
March 14, 2022
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.
March 11, 2022
Another day, another rescue mission, another 100+ dogs and cats saved.
March 10, 2022
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.
March 9, 2022
“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.
March 8, 2022
After setting off yesterday morning, PETA Germany’s team returned this morning, managing to bring a further 70 cats and dogs into Poland.
March 7, 2022
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.
March 4, 2022
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.
February 2022
February 27, 2022
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
February 2022
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.