Three years after the start of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the German Animal Welfare Association has further intensified its support. The organisation has made over 100,000 euros available to help animals affected by the war.
‘We are very pleased to be able to support the important work of animal welfare organisations with the help of our animal-loving donors,’ says Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Association. ‘The commitment of the animal rights activists in Ukraine is particularly admirable. These people are risking life and limb to help animals in the war zone. We have just seen for ourselves that the Russian army apparently does not shy away from attacking even a clearly marked aid vehicle belonging to an NGO - this is rightly being investigated as a war crime.’
Evacuation transporter hit by Russian drones
Just a few days ago, an evacuation van belonging to the Ukrainian animal welfare organisation UAnimals was shot at several times by Russian drones on its first mission in the Donetsk region near Pokrovsk - even though it was clearly marked with the Ukrainian words ‘animal evacuation’. ‘Our team was still in the car when they saw the drone. Everyone left the car in a hurry and lay flat on the ground,’ reports Olga Chevganiuk from UAnimals. ‘Then the Russian drone hit the front of the car and severely damaged it, as well as a second vehicle.’ No one was injured. The animal rescuers then managed to bring all the animals to safety. The German Animal Welfare Association had recently fully financed the evacuation transporter with 50,000 euros so that the UAnimals team could evacuate animals from the front line and transport them to partner animal shelters in safe regions. With a further 10,000 euros, the German Animal Welfare Association financed the deployment of a ‘Vet-Mobile’, with the help of which UAnimals vets have already been able to neuter 173 cats and 71 dogs and provide medical treatment and vaccinations for over 200 animals during two initial missions to the frontline region.
Grants for organisations in Ukraine and Germany
Last year, the German Animal Welfare Association supported the Ukrainian organisation Happy Paw with a total of 20,000 euros for veterinary treatment. The association helped over 50 animal welfare organisations and animal shelters, primarily in eastern Ukraine, by funding medication. Organisations based in Germany that campaign for animals in Ukraine were also able to rely on the support of the German Animal Welfare Association. For example, the Osteuropahilfe association was able to purchase a new vehicle for the Ukrainian animal shelter in Brody with a grant of 10,000 euros.
