Pets and Their People Blog

Quick Links:

Help Animals Survive the War in Ukraine (Click on link to donate.)

Meet the People Behind the Fundraiser for Ukrainian Animal Shelters (Click on link to listen to the inspiring BARKS podcast.)

Everything has changed for the beloved pets of Ukraine.

You Can Help

The Pet Professional Guild (PPG) Shelter & Rescue committee is asking you, our dedicated and generous community, to help these animals and the people caring for them.

On Wednesday, May 4, PPG livestreamed a free event for the public to meet our friend, lifelong animal welfare advocate, Dr. Marina Bayeva, who began a grassroots campaign to help animals survive the war in Ukraine. The event was recorded and you can listen now for updates on the work accomplished so far. Dr. Bayeva has already distributed funding in her hometown of Dnipro, where veterinarians and shelter staff have bravely stayed to feed, treat and care for thousands of animals amidst missile strikes. Also joining us on the podcast are veterinarian Dr. Paula Klek, as well as members of PPG’s Shelter & Rescue committee.

Help us reach our goal of $20,000; we are more than halfway there!

The Need is Urgent

The first phase of this campaign included funding evacuation, veterinary treatment and supplies like food and bedding. The need is urgent, especially as the unaffected public’s interest begins to wane. While we have all seen images of refugees escaping with their pets, many animals were left behind. These are surely agonizing choices of survival.

• According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), veterinary staff in Poland expect worsening conditions, including severe injuries and health conditions (Cima, 2022).^[1] People are risking their lives to help these animals, and they need your help.
• Six shelters in Dnipro have already received funding. However, “Thousands of animals are being left on the streets or brought in from destroyed cities,” said Dr. Bayeva. “Most shelters are significantly over capacity.”
• Hanna Dmytriieva of the Dnipro shelter Kovcheg (The Ark) is building a network of partners in Europe to evacuate dogs and cats from Eastern Ukraine to Western Europe. She has already transported dozens of animals to France, Poland and the Czech Republic.
• Kyiv and the suburbs of Bucha, Irpin and Borodyanka were hit hard, and many pets and their people are without safe homes. The shelter of Irina Dobrolyubova (www.kievshelter.com) is receiving funds from your generous donations to find homes for cats.

“We Can Make an Impact”

These animals are likely experiencing panic and anxiety. They have been separated from their people; their homes are unrecognizable; and there is no way for them to understand why. The AVMA has reported seizures from panic (Cima, 2022).

“While it is heart-wrenching for me to think of the situation in Ukraine overall, I cannot imagine the impact it is having on pets. It is no surprise for me to hear that animals are experiencing seizures and the overall impact that the war is having both physiologically and psychologically for the affected pets will have long- lasting effects,” said Malena DeMartini, an expert in separation anxiety.

DeMartini continued, “The thought of being separated from everything familiar while also being exposed to the terrifying noises and smells that are associated with this war weighs heavily on all of us. It may feel overwhelming to think of the trauma being experienced, but if each of us commits to helping or donating even in small ways, we can make an impact.”

Please donate now and become part of this helper community.

Reference:

^[1] Cima, G. (2022, March 31). Animals also victims of war in Ukraine. AVMA News 

How Can You Help Today?

• Donate now to help animals survive the war in Ukraine: https://givebutter.com/wtSBYy

• Listen to and share the BARKS podcast with Dr. Marina Bayeva: Inspiring stories about the people and animals who are benefiting from your generous support.

About the Author

Holden Svirsky, CTC, CSAT is a canine behavior consultant in Massachusetts. She is the Chair of PPG’s Shelter & Rescue committee and sits on PPG’s Advocacy Panel. Holden is a graduate of the Academy for Dog Trainers and a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer. Holden is a second-generation Ukrainian-American. She currently shares her life with her Yakutian Laika dog, Zymova Zirka, which means “Winter’s Star.”

For further reading, please see:

The Pets Left Behind in Ukraine Need You – Here’s How You Can Help Today!