19.02.25
In late 2017, I travelled to Kyiv for the first time to discuss with officials in the Parliament building whether Naturewatch Foundation could train police officers and municipalities across Ukraine about why animal welfare should be taken seriously.
As a former detective specialising in international work, I have travelled to most European countries, but nothing prepared me for Ukrainian transport: on-time, cheap trains and buses, and taxi drivers who wanted to show me their unusual road skills on roads full of potholes (yes, even worse than the UK). I will always remember the unique smell of the Kyiv Metro, with each journey costing 2UAH, a fraction of an English penny. Sadly, this smell is one that most residents must now sense with each air raid.
From Kyiv to Kharkiv: How our animal welfare training has spread
The authorities agreed to our proposal and in March 2018, I launched a training project for police and animal groups. Initially based in Kyiv, the initiative expanded from 2019 until the pandemic, reaching cities including Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Irpin, and Chernivtsi. Additionally, we hosted online events with participants from Vinnytsia, Lutsk, and Odesa. I also had the honour of presenting at universities in Lutsk and at Taras Shevchenko National University in Kyiv.
As a result of our efforts, reports and prosecutions of serious animal cruelty increased substantially, with some offenders being sentenced close to the maximum eight years in jail. Law 2351 further expanded animal welfare legislation, for example, by lowering the age of criminal responsibility.
During the pandemic, I held online events, but shortly afterwards, the war began, curtailing some of the campaign threads and requiring us to adapt.
One of the areas I focused on was how animals can be harmed within family and domestic relationships. It was positive, therefore, to see Order No. 369/180 (dated March 13, 2019), of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine ‘On Approval of the Procedure for Assessing the Risks of Domestic Violence’ (2019) recognising the relationship between cruelty to animals and domestic violence. Ukraine is leading the way.
This month (February 2025), I was honoured to speak at an event run by UAnimals in Kyiv for judges, prosecutors and politicians, to explain why we must keep the welfare of our animals at the forefront of safeguarding legislation and policy. This is so impressive for a country that has been at war since 2022. Ukraine continues to set an inspiring example in animal protection, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
Judging the 2025 Animal Volunteer Awards
I have also been asked to be a judge for the 2025 Animal Volunteer Awards in Ukraine, a real highlight on my journey within animal protection and something only made possible because of how Naturewatch Foundation works as an effective charity for animals. In turn, this only happens because of our supporters who are always there with us every step of the way, from Kyiv to Kharkiv.
Thank you, Ukraine.
Written by Mark Randell
