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Over 2,000 Cats And Dogs Sterilised To Avoid Surge In Strays In War-torn Ukraine
5 months ago 
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More than 2,000 cats and dogs have been sterilised in Ukraine in a bid to avoid a surge in stray puppies and kittens in the war-torn country.
Many owners were forced to flee and had no option but to leave their pets behind as war broke out, resulting in thousands of cats and dogs being left alone to survive alone on the streets.
Money raised from UK pet charity Blue Cross’s Ukraine Fund, along with support from Pets at Home, has helped to care for these animals and along with being fed, ensured they have been sterilised, chipped and vaccinated.
So far, 1,520 cats and 495 dogs have been helped by Save the Dogs and Other Animals, an organisation which has been caring for these animals in Odesa supported by the Fund. This has exceeded the aims for the project to help 1,000 pets over a six month period, with hopes now that around 3,000 pets will be helped.
Gregg Tully, Country Director at Save The Dogs and Other Animals, said: “Many of the animals have not been spayed or neutered and if we didn’t act, we run the risk of a surge in the number of births.
“After war broke out in Ukraine, thousands of dogs and cats were left to survive alone on the streets.
“While our priority was ensuring they received enough food, it became critical to prevent them from breeding uncontrollably.
“These puppies would be condemned to a lifetime of suffering. Not only are they located in areas where war is still raging, but many cities are completely deserted and there is no one there to feed them.
“Volunteers are already monitoring a tremendous number of animals, and the food we can send is barely enough to feed them, never mind countless more.
“Our objective was to sterilize 1,000 animals over a period of six months: 800 dogs and 200 cats. Due to the success of the project so far, we are now looking to significantly increase this number and we hope that we can ultimately extend to other cities as well.”
“A total of nearly 1,000 tons of dog and cat food has been sent to Ukraine, providing vital support for the hundreds of volunteers who still risk their lives every day to feed the animals they care for on the streets.”
Anna Wade, Public Affairs Manager at national pet charity Blue Cross, said:“Sadly the war is continuing to have such a devastating effect across Ukraine and there is still much work to do. The compassion and dedication of our charity partners Save the Dogs on the ground to rescue pets and care for them day to day, is overwhelming and we’re doing all we can to support their vital work.”
Pets at Home have donated a total of around £200,000 to Blue Cross’s Ukraine fund, helping Save the Dogs along with other partners on the ground to help cats and dogs in need.
Amy Angus, Head of Charity and Community at Pets at Home, said: “We are passionate about putting pet welfare first and are hugely grateful to our consumers for their generosity, which has enabled us to support this incredibly important campaign with a donation of £200,000 to support pets and the people who love them caught up in the crisis in Ukraine. Supporting Save the Dogs and this project will make a lasting difference in the area.”
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