Kormotech expands social initiatives in response to Ukraine’s challenges in 2023

Kormotech, one of Ukraine’s largest pet food producers, expanded the scope of its social projects in 2023.

The company focuses not only on charitable support for animal shelters but also on responsible pet ownership. They help rescue pets from war zones, promote adoption and raise funds from international partners to increase the scale of support for volunteers, shelters of all types and individuals who care for pets.

“This is a priority for us because it is in line with our mission and values. It’s also a response to the challenges that Ukraine has been facing since 2022,” says Kormotech CEO Rostyslav Vovk. 

“We are determined in these efforts and are fortunate to have many partners in Ukraine and around the world, like Greater Good Charities, who share our values and promote the love of pets and the responsibility of their owners,” Vovk adds.

Total impact

Since its inception, Kormotech’s charitable initiatives have donated over 1,600 tons of pet food, 30,000 vaccines and medical supplies, heaters, generators, carriers, beds, toys, etc., to help meet the needs of local animal shelters. 

Save Pets of Ukraine also gains extra support via the U-Hearts international fund in the European Union and converts this into humanitarian assistance for pets in the country.

Adoption & responsible ownership

The pet food company’s Club 4 Paws premium brand launched the Look 4 Paws responsible adoption project in May 2022. 

The project works specifically with pet shelters and volunteers, helping them to get more pets adopted and increase the number of conscious pet parents through advocacy campaigns and social media. For example, the Look 4 Paws adoption initiative team posted adoption announcements for 2,031 pets on a special website in 2023, with 1,104 of them finding homes.

In December 2023, Club 4 Paws launched a New Year campaign to remind people that pets are not gifts for any occasion. The campaign emphasized the ethics of responsible pet ownership, explaining that giving a cat or dog as a present may seem innocent and even touching, but not everyone is prepared to care for the animal for life. 

Pets given as gifts are more likely to be abandoned, either on the streets or in shelters. As part of the campaign, the brand promoted materials with tests to measure a family or person’s readiness for a pet and what might happen to owners who are first caring for puppies, discovering not only joy but also anxiety and stress.

In Ukraine, where animal shelters have seen a 60% increase in pet abandonment since 2022, the campaign reached an online audience of 7.6 million users and 1.2 million offline. Over 3 million people watched the social advertisements on TV.

Vet consultations offered for free

Another Kormotech food line, super-premium brand Optimeal, supports the Optimeal Expert 9100 vet care service launched in 2022. 

In 2023, over 179,800 cat and dog owners from all over Ukraine were provided with free one-on-one telephone and messaging consultations. In many cases, veterinary advice was vital to the survival of pets in situations of extreme stress and war risk where veterinary clinics were not available. 

Optimeal also provides preventative guidance via social media, focusing on the stress pets are going through in relation to the events of the war in Ukraine and practical issues of everyday responsible care.

Save Pets of Ukraine

Save Pets of Ukraine, a social initiative founded by Kormotech in 2022, just before the Christmas holidays, called on all pet parents to be vigilant because many aspects of the festive season pose a potential threat to pets. The most frequent consequences of these celebrations include poisoning, allergies and intestinal obstruction. 

Save Pets of Ukraine shared some safety rules to help make the holidays safe for pets. 

However, Save Pets of Ukraine’s main objective is to provide charitable support to shelters through the donation of pet food, care and veterinary medicines. In December 2023, the “Warm House” campaign was launched by Save Pets of Ukraine in partnership with the U-Hearts Foundation and Greater Good Charities. 

More than 50 shelters across Ukraine received 300 warm houses for medium to large-breed dogs, as well as blankets, toys and food. The kennels have already been installed in the shelters.