The war in Ukraine: How Naturewatch Foundation has been supporting animals in crisis

21/08/25

Naturewatch Foundation has been helping animals in Ukraine for over 30 years. Since 1994, we’ve been working to make life better for animals across the country.

Our projects cover everything from managing stray animals and promoting kindness in schools, to pushing for stronger animal protection laws and training key groups like local councils, police, and charities.

On February 24, 2022, the world was shaken by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Like so many others, we were devastated – but our immediate concern was for the safety of our Ukrainian colleague Natalie, her family, and the wonderful friends and partners we’ve made over the years.

Once we knew they were safe, we sprang into action, exploring every possible way to adapt our work and offer help where it was needed…

Coordinating animal welfare support

Our campaign manager, Kate, headed to Medyka, on the Polish-Ukrainian border, with the DOTS mobile veterinary clinic at the launch of our #UKrainePaws mission in 2022.

Two people in winter clothing are walking away from the camera, holding pet carriers, a cardboard carrier and bags. There’s a bus and a van in the background. — *At a makeshift refugee camp in Medyka, we provided Ukrainians with carriers and other essentials for their pets.*

Thanks to our longstanding connections and experience in Ukraine, we were able to respond quickly and effectively to the growing animal welfare crisis, including:

Linking international and reliable groups inside Ukraine to ensure aid, including food and medical supplies, reached where they would be most effective.
Partnering with Dogs on the Streets (DOTS) for Operation #UKrainePaws, delivering a vanload of emergency supplies to the Polish-Ukrainian border and offering support to the refugees who were fleeing Ukraine. Read more in our series of blogs…

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Launching #DrainsForUkraine, a simple but effective initiative to help Ukrainians feed local stray dogs and cats using DIY drainpipe feeders.

‘Lily Bear’ was created to support our fundraising efforts for Ukraine, with profits going towards helping animals and children affected by the war.

A brown dog with large ears and a smooth coat is sitting outside on the ground, wearing a padded orange dog jacket. There are boxes and a van in the background, with people working, some of them dressed in high-vis vests. — *#UKrainePaws gave us the chance to make a real difference on the ground. Kate helped Kevin and his human find a fantastic new home in Barcelona, Spain!*

A smiling Ukrainian man is bending over outside in a garden, watching a cat eating food provided by a feeder in the form of a drainpipe. — *We wanted to help Ukrainians feed local stray dogs and cats in the easiest way possible by providing innovative drainpipe feeders (Photo: Dan Fine).*

Ongoing solutions for stray animal management in Ukraine

The war drastically increased the number of stray animals in Ukraine, as countless families fled Kharkiv and surrounding areas, and some were forced to leave their pets behind, or were separated. We addressed this urgent issue by:

Distributing Povidok Animal.ID QR code tags. In Ukraine, unlike the UK, microchipping isn’t mandatory. As a result, many stray cats and dogs may not have been abandoned – they could simply be lost pets. Animal.ID tags help reunite them with their families.
Resuming our spay-neuter programme in Ukraine as soon as possible in Kharkiv, Kupyansk, and the surrounding villages. Combined with the incredible courage of veterinarians working under dangerous conditions, this helped prevent the explosion of stray populations and protect our long-term progress in stray animal management.

On-the-ground aid for Ukrainian animal shelters and rescuers

We supported Ukrainian animal rescue organisations and heroes working on the frontlines by:

Co-funding a reliable second-hand rescue van for non-governmental organisation, Promin Myloserdia, to help them reach animals in war-ravaged areas.
Providing urgent supplies and equipment to Animal Rescue Kharkiv and other organisations, including medicine and humane animal handling tools.
Donating protective dog shoes to Antares, a brave team of dogs and handlers who search for people and animals trapped under rubble.
Delivering aid directly to shelters, including one in Chernivtsi, thanks to our campaign manager Mark and our generous donors.
Building Naturewatch Street at the Step shelter in Brody – a dedicated space for rescued dogs awaiting adoption. Away from the frontline, centres like Step are inundated with animals brought to them for safety by rescue groups and soldiers, but they don’t have enough proper housing for them. We reached out to our supporters to help, and they generously funded 16 insulated doghouses.

A man and woman are smiling, standing in front of a white van, which is full of animal carriers and boxes. The woman holds a sign saying, ‘Thank you Naturewatch Foundation’. — *As well as navigating the region’s damaged roads to transport animals, the van we co-funded for NGO Promin Myloserdia allows them to deliver food and other supplies.*

We’ve provided heroic organisations like Animal Rescue Kharkiv with crucial equipment for rescuing animals from the frontline, including humane catching poles.

A corgi and Malinois/Shepherd-type dog are sitting on the ground indoors, wearing rugged harnesses, next to a cardboard box full of protective dog shoes. The larger dog is holding one packet in his mouth. — *The amazing search and rescue dogs of Antares find people and other animals trapped under rubble – but their paws needed protection.*

‘Naturewatch Street’ is a row of insulated doghouses that give the Step shelter’s dogs a safe, comfy place to stay while they wait to be adopted.

International outreach: The Animals in War conference

In late 2022, we organised an ambitious international online conference on animal welfare, held in five languages and reaching audiences in 23 countries.

The Animals in War conference created global awareness of the urgent need to protect animals during conflict and the importance of preventing animal abuse.

Our expert speakers came from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Italy, Greece, Canada, UK and the USA.

Videos from the conference can be found on our YouTube channel.

Looking ahead: Rebuilding animal welfare in Ukraine

While our relief efforts continue, we’re also focused on rebuilding and strengthening Ukrainian animal welfare for the long term. This includes expanding our humane education projects, community outreach, and strategic partnerships to ensure a brighter future for animals and the people who care for them.

Read about what we’re doing.

Get involved: Help us continue our Ukraine animal welfare mission

We need your help to sustain and expand our work in Ukraine and Eastern Europe! Whether it’s by donating, fundraising, or spreading the word, your support directly contributes to saving lives and promoting compassion.

Find out how you can help make a difference for animals in Eastern Europe.