Pet industry join forces to save animals from war in Ukraine

Local manufacturer Kormotech is leading an initiative to identify the needs of pet parents, zoos, and shelters on the ground, while some other companies are sending food and aid from neighboring countries.

“Our pets are like children. They also need to be saved from the war”, said Olesia Kukharchyshyn from Kormotech to GlobalPETS.

According to the company, that is leading the campaign “Save Pets of Ukraine,” animals became hostages of the bombs. “A lot of animals remain abandoned in the streets, and shelters are on the verge of survival.”

They are helping with their own capabilities and available stock, but they warn that “very soon” they will need financial and physical assistance from aboard. Because of this, they created an online form for people that want to help.  

KIKA, a chain of pet stores in the Baltics, is also sending help to Ukraine.

“We set up help points on the Ukrainian border with Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, where we meet refugees with pets and provide them with the necessary equipment, such as – feed, bowls, bearings, blankets,” reads a LinkedIn post from CEO Janita J. Plunge.

The company is also in the process of transferring pet food to Lviv in western Ukraine. From there, it will be distributed to other cities such as Kharkov and Kyiv.

Jollyes and pet food manufacturer Mackle have joined forces and donated 5,000 tons of wet food and tonnes of dry food from Northern Ireland to help Ukraine refugees fleeing with their animals.

Refugees and pets

The United Nations (UN) estimates that 1 million civilians have fled Ukraine, a lot of them with their pets.

Travel requirements for entering the EU territory with pet animals are strict, but the European Commission asked the Member States to grant entry to any pets coming with their Ukrainian parents.

Some neighboring countries – such as Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia – have already made the entry for animals from the Ukrainian border less bureaucratic. The Indian government has also relaxed import requirements for companion dogs and cats from the country.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation updates the situation daily on their website.

For those animals remaining in Ukraine, UAnimals put in place a program to rescue them and receive financial aid. The volunteer organization has transferred money for food for animals living in shelters across Ukraine, mainly in the Kyiv region.

 “Unfortunately, logistics in Ukraine are extremely complicated. We continue to collect aid and transfer money to shelters,” the association said on their website.

Until February 28th, UAnimals has donated aid to more than 30 shelters in Ukraine.