Amid a landscape of tormented despair after a long decade of war, the last two years of Russia’s stunning full-scale invasion have only made Ukraine even more vulnerable, more sorrowful. During the latest upheaval, fourteen million Ukrainians fled their homes, some carrying their animal companions, others with animals in carriers, and many walking with their families, but, tragically, in the panic, an untold number of dogs and cats were deserted. The lucky ones entered shelters, which were at capacity even before the most recent invasion, while the rest, defenseless and not habituated to surviving outside, wander the desolate streets like ghosts. The heads of Ukrainian animal-welfare organizations have reported that more dogs and cats are roaming the streets of Ukraine than ever before in its history.

Convulsed by an imploding economy, Ukraine’s animal shelters are struggling, space is at a premium, and animal protectors who dedicated themselves for years to feed dogs and cats out on the streets are experiencing their own impoverishment and have very little left to feed so many in need.

Here is an on-the-ground report from our most recent blog by one of our partners, Tailed Banda, which, during the relentless cold, has also come to the aid of cows and their babies by raising funds for food and creating shelter.

“I had three fears during the occupation. First, I worried about the animals at the shelter, as we don’t have a veterinarian, and it meant that we could be powerless if the animals became seriously ill or injured. I was also very afraid of a direct hit or bombing the shelter. There were the Russian military checkpoints near us and a lot of their equipment. If there was a fight, we would surely suffer. Thirdly, my fear was a long occupation, and that in time there might be a complete lack of food. I was afraid that I could bury animals," said Sirius shelter founder, Oleksandra Mesinova

Arukah Animal International is collaborating with local partners, Ukrainian volunteers, to rescue and feed as many dogs and cats as possible, and working with veterinary clinics for spay/neuter, preventing births of countless puppies and kittens who wouldn’t survive treacherous Ukrainian winters, as well as medical treatments.

Thanks to your generosity, Arukah has enabled desperately needed food to reach Odessa and Kharkiv and more is vital. We are funding a miraculous volunteer, Zhanna Slavenko, who, on her own, feeds hundreds of street dogs and cats, and takes the urgent cases to vet clinics. Aid is also desperately needed for improvements to two shelters, My Living Dogs and Love & Laska.

Lyudmila Melnikova, the founder of My Living Dogs shelter, recently said, “Our shelter fences were damaged after a fire and bombing. We need to rebuild everything.” Arukah is committed to repairing the shelter and keeping the rescued dogs and cats safe.

By donating today, you will help our local partners in Ukraine care for the scores of stricken animal victims of the war—as well help Arukah continue our online events and upcoming films raising awareness around the world about the profound urgency of ending the massive exploitation of more-than-human animals, especially farmed animals—many of its horrors that we do not see, hidden from view.  

"The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity." Alberto Giacometti 

As Russia’s invasion in Ukraine continues to ravage the country, Ukrainian artists capture and alert us to the powerfully unsettling images of human and more-than-human animal suffering. Russia’s onslaught has spread to targeting Ukrainian culture, specifically obliterating art, with its destruction of museums and works going up in flames.

Perhaps no other artist is more essential to Ukraine than Maria Prymachenko (1909-1997), whose blazingly vibrant and fantastical and folkloric scenes of animals appear as if in some phantasmagorical and mythical dream. Many of her scenes of seemingly happy rural life tell a darker story of dread set upon by Stalin’s Great Terror. Now her work has become a rallying cry for survival and strength against the cataclysm of another dictator’s storm.

Maria Prymachenko "A Pretty Pig" 

In 2023, The Ukrainian Art Museum in Little Ukraine, New York, held Prymachenko’s first U.S. exhibit after eight of her works were burnt at the start of the Russian invasion and many more are under threat. “When you see a purple pig, well it’s a purple pig. If you see a yellow bird, it’s a yellow bird,” said Peter Doroshenko, the museum’s director. “She focused in on highlighting that bird or that animal in a very different way where you start thinking about the animals and things that you take for granted, she didn’t take for granted, she focused in on them.” 

Albina Kolesnichenko
"Animal Rights, Vegan for Life, Save Animals, Friends"

"I find inspiration in nature, kindness and unconditional love. My life values and the foundation for co-creation are environmental friendliness, respect for the rights of animals and people." 

Animal Shelters After the Occupation: How They Managed to Survive

Blog Excerpt by Tailed Banda 

House of Tails is a private shelter-hospice. Today, there are approximately 70 animals in the shelter.

House of Tails is a shelter in Irpen, Kyiv region, which was founded by veterinarian and animal volunteer, Anastasia Tykha, together with her husband. They take care specifically of animals with disabilities, elderly dogs, and dogs afflicted with cancer. During the evacuation, they were able to take out fifteen dogs on their own (unfortunately, four dogs escaped), five cats, a chameleon, a turtle, a hamster, and even a spider. They walked three kilometers with their entire flock for more than three hours and received help during their evacuation from a passer-by and representatives of the territorial defense, who met the volunteers on the bridge. When they left the city, a car was waiting for them, which was provided by the Charitable Foundation, Plyushka. Nastya, her husband, and all their animals were able to evacuate to Kyiv. After the remarkable and indelible photo of Nastya with the dogs on the bridge was published, she began to get offers of help. Miraculously, all the dogs in the photo found their way to new families!

With heartfelt gratitude, 

Robin Dorman 

President and Executive Director 

P.S. Your support makes all the difference, and a profound one at that, in helping to improve the lives of animals ravaged by the war in Ukraine.

Arukah means Healing, Restoring, and Repairing