Animal rights parties worldwide in solidarity with people and animals in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine is a nightmare for people and animals. As millions of citizens flee the country, huge numbers of animals are left behind and next to the humanitarian crisis another heart-breaking crisis has emerged. Shelters are overcrowded and struggling to get enough food and medicine. Zoos are in the middle of war zones. Still, there are courageous people staying behind to care for the animals in these dangerous and extremely difficult circumstances. Animal rights parties across the globe are joining forces with local organizations in Ukraine to help them. Support them too and donate whatever you can!
Parties for the Animals worldwide have strongly denounced the Putin regime’s act of aggression as a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Ukraine. They plead for tough sanctions against the Russian government and for a generous reception of refugees from Ukraine as well as humanitarian aid in bordering countries. Last but not least, they have launched a joint crowd-funding campaign and joined forces with Ukrainian organizations on the ground to alleviate the immediate needs of people and animals left behind and to help the people who risk their lives to bring food and other much-needed supplies to the animals that depend on them.
Every day, the war takes people’s lives and forces citizens to flee. While many people take their animal companions with them, many more animals are left behind – on their own or at already overcrowded shelters. Some of these, like the Best Friends Shelter, which houses over a thousand dogs, lie in the middle of war zones and have been shelled, hit, and partly burned, causing many animals to die. Others, such as the Sirius Shelter, Ukraine’s largest shelter for cats and dogs near Kiev, have become isolated since all surrounding roads are blocked, making it impossible to bring in food supplies or medicine. Others are also quickly running out of food and volunteers to feed the animals. Meanwhile, employees of Kiev’s zoo are struggling to keep around 4000 animals safe and alive. And millions of animals in factory farms are left to starve.
How to help? Donate now to fund direct local support!
To offer effective help where it is most needed, the Dutch Party for the Animals and its sister parties worldwide have teamed up with local organizations and animal protectors in Ukraine with whom the party has already been in contact for years through its international network. Among them is the local team of Animal ID, including Marta and Victor Kopach. With years of experience in animal protection, they have now set up a coordination centre in Ukraine to provide help where it is most needed. They offer animal protectors a network of food suppliers, a store room for supplies and a group of volunteers willing and able to deliver supplies to shelters across the country. In case the road to a shelter has become blocked, they directly provide it’s volunteers with funds to buy the necessary supplies themselves wherever they can.
You can help this direct, coordinated action on the ground too! For what they need most is money for fuel, special cars, food and medicine. Please make a donation to Animal ID. They will make sure the money is used to help animals and their protectors in Ukraine where needed most.
Thank you on behalf of the animals and the heroes staying behind to take care of them. For as the courageous Alexandra Mezinova of the Sirius Shelter stated: “When I leave my animals behind, they will starve. The animals are not to blame for this situation. But they sure are among its victims.”