The ProSalus Foundation Launches Urgent Appeal For UK Vets To Support Ukrainian Colleagues

2 weeks ago
140 views

Posted
13th January, 2026 11h46

Calls for donations of veterinary medicines, equipment and funds for war-torn country

Global animal welfare charity The ProSalus Foundation has launched an urgent appeal to the UK veterinary community for life‑saving medicines, equipment and funds for veterinarians in Ukraine, whose work to care for animals is being severely impacted by the war.

Veterinary teams across Ukraine are struggling to treat animals because members of the profession are being injured or killed on the battlefield, equipment is being diverted for human emergency care and animal shelters are overwhelmed. Millions of animals – livestock, companion animals and wildlife – have been abandoned or killed.

There is also increasing concern about the rise in deadly diseases, including rabies, with cases of rabies reported in 2023 2.3 times higher than in 2022. (Source: UNN)

The ProSalus Foundation (formerly the WSAV Foundation) is a global charity dedicated to advancing the veterinary profession and improving animal welfare in regions of greatest need. It has launched its campaign in partnership with the Ukrainian Veterinary Medical Foundation (UVMF), following a visit to Kyiv in 2025 by ProSalus Vice-President, Dr G Mark Johnston. He was there with colleagues, including FECAVA Past President Dr Wolfgang Dohne, to attend the Ukrainian Small Animal Veterinary Association’s annual congress, deliver the first batch of donated supplies and to learn first-hand about conditions on the ground.

UK vets can support the campaign in three ways:

• Donate veterinary medicines, equipment and supplies – including medications, portable ultrasound machines, anaesthetic machines, surgical tables, surgical instruments and consumables. 
• Make a cash donation online – for the purchase of medications, equipment and other supplies
• Bid in a silent auction of Ukrainian art – renowned Ukrainian artist Ann Khomchyk has donated her ‘Different Together’ collection of paintings to the campaign, with all proceeds used to support frontline Ukrainian veterinary teams. 

Full details on how to donate or to take part in the auction are available from The ProSalus Foundation website – www.prosalusfoundation.org  – or from Dr Johnston at [email protected]. 

Veterinary equipment manufacturer and distributor Burton’s Medical Equipment is supporting the campaign by acting as a collection point for donations.

The ProSalus Foundation is also working with key stakeholders to ensure Ukrainian veterinarians – who currently do not receive pre-exposure rabies protection – can be vaccinated amid the rising incidence of this deadly disease.

Dr Johnston said: “The veterinary profession is a global family. After almost four years of war, our Ukrainian colleagues are exhausted and working in very difficult conditions to care for the millions of animals caught up in the conflict. And, with the incidence of rabies increasing, they risk their own safety every day.

“The ProSalus Foundation is committed to supporting veterinarians wherever the need is greatest so we’re asking UK vets to stand with their Ukrainian colleagues – to show them they are not forgotten and to help support their vital work.

“During my visit with colleagues last year, the urgent need for veterinary supplies and equipment to replace that which has been destroyed or co-opted for human use was obvious.

“It was great to deliver an initial donation of surgical equipment and consumables donated by CVS Vet Group and Stowe Animal Health to the Four Paws Clinic in Irpin, near Kyiv. I hope that, with the help of the UK veterinary community, we’ll be able to provide much more vital support to veterinary teams in Ukraine this year.”

Ambassador for the UVMF, Dr Vladlen Ushakov, said: “Despite the challenges and hardship we face, our commitment to caring for animals remains unwavering. We’re facing a critical shortage of medicines, equipment and essential resources so this appeal is of vital importance to us.  Supplies donated will help us continue providing veterinary care to the animals of Ukraine – and they have never been more urgently needed more than they are today.

“Ukrainian veterinary teams are deeply grateful to our colleagues in the UK for their commitment and support.”

Notes to editors

The ProSalus Foundation (formerly the WSAV Foundation) is a global charity dedicated to advancing the veterinary profession and improving animal welfare in regions of greatest need, through an integrated One Health approach.

More from

• Vet professionals flock to sign up to transformative locum platform
• Vetsure Named Business of the Year at 2025 SME National Business Awards
• Home of hope for Romania's dogs: The pioneering shelter doing things differently
• Pioneering new locum platform transforming veterinary landscape
• Key Stakeholders unite to advance helmet design for equine veterinary professionals