For four years, the constant danger of bombs, shelling, and violence has terrorized all species who call Ukraine home. Many animals lost their human families in the war and have been left behind, in dangerous areas. Frightened, traumatized, and often severely malnourished during freezing winter months, they wander through the rubble and human-made destruction. Without Animal Rescue Kharkiv, a PETA-supported team that risks their lives every day to rescue animals in Ukraine, more than 30,000 dogs, cats, cows, goats, and so many other animals likely would not have survived.

How Does the PETA-Supported Team Help Animals in Ukraine?

Our friends at Animal Rescue Kharkiv operate continuously to bring animals out of perilous areas under extreme conditions. Freezing cold winters, scorching summer heat, air raid alerts, and shelling are part of the team’s everyday reality.

Across various locations, Animal Rescue Kharkiv cares for around 1,800 animals daily. At the ARK Peace Sanctuary — an abandoned dairy farm that has been transformed into a place of refuge for many animals—on-site caretakers and a veterinary clinic provide daily care and save lives.

Since the Beginning of the War, Animal Rescue Kharkiv Has:

• Travelled 2,134,689 miles across Ukraine and Europe to transport animals out of the warzone
• Reunited 25–30% of animals with their guardians from Ukraine
• Brought more than 2,094 tons of food and provisions to animals in need

“Every day in the war shows us the harshness of this reality — and at the same time the strength that comes from not giving up. Our teams witness unimaginable suffering, but we also see hope: animals that survive because we, together with PETA, refuse to look away. This partnership is more than a project. It is a promise that we stand together — for every single life that depends on us.”

— Igor Sobko, CEO of Animal Rescue Kharkiv

Meet Lyska, Just One of the More Than 30,000 Animals Animal Kharkiv Rescued in Ukraine

When the Animal Rescue Kharkiv rescue team found Lyska, she was petrified. It’s impossible to know how long Lyska struggled to survive in a village right on the frontline, but based on her fear of being approached, she’d likely been on her own for a while.

Despite the kind, gentle voices and hands that cared for her at the PETA-funded shelter, her distrust remained. It took more than two weeks for her to accept affection from humans, but as soon as she got her first cuddle, her spark came back. Now, Lyska wags her tail joyfully and gently licks her caregivers’ hands.

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Help the Animals in Ukraine!

Facing rocket attacks, drones, and constant life-threatening danger, Animal Rescue Kharkiv’s team works tirelessly to reunite animals with their guardians or help them find new loving homes. Thanks to supporters like you, animals like Lyska, who’ve survived unthinkable trauma, can experience love and peace. When you give to PETA’s Global Compassion Fund, you’re sending help to animals in war zones and other disaster areas where animals need help.

As relentless drone strikes turn villages into wastelands, PETA-backed rescuers:

• Rush terrified dogs to safety as explosions boom.
• Pull trapped kittens from the rubble—while deadly shelling razes nearby buildings.
• Search bombed properties and nurse gravely injured animals back to health.
• Provide long-term care to dogs and other animals who are so traumatized, they cower at the slightest sound.

Your gift helps PETA entities and partners create positive, sustainable changes in corners of the Earth where animals desperately need assistance and may have no other hope.