One month after the start of the war in Ukraine, more than 4 million people have fled the country and about 6.5 million are internally displaced. This at a time when humanitarian needs are growing exponentially.
Every day thousands of people flee Ukraine with only what they can carry: often these include pets. From information what was received by VSF at the Polish border near Medyka, it appears that about 30% of the refugees have a pet, some of whom also need veterinary assistance.
Normally, veterinary assistance to domestic animals is not part of the mission of Vétérinaires Sans Frontières. In fact, our main objective lies in supporting small-scale livestock farmers and pastoralists. However, the seriousness and exceptional nature of the situation does not leave us indifferent and presents us with the need to act in our capacity as veterinarians.
Companion animals are important to the mental health of owners, especially in this extreme situation. Caring for animals maintains a connection to the life that many of them have now been forced to leave behind. While health care and support is given to humans, the needs and well-being of animal family members must also be met: many animals, like their owners, arrive exhausted or sometimes even injured and in need of care.
Moreover, rabies is still present in Ukraine, unlike in other European countries that are free of it. The sudden entry of unvaccinated animals into rabies-free countries can create serious public health risks, and this demands a quick response from local veterinarians to vaccinate animals against rabies or impose quarantine.
Two VSF international member organizations are already active in providing support for refugee pets:
VSF-Czech Republic's project "Seeking Refuge Together" assists Ukrainian refugees arriving in the Czech Republic who need veterinary assistance, pet food and care for their pets. The organization helps find appropriate veterinary practices, provides interpreter assistance to veterinary practices helping Ukrainian refugees, runs an information point www.spsom.cz where refugees with pets can find relevant information, and provides pet owners with financial assistance to be able to provide care for their pets. Click here for more information about this project.
VWB/VSF Canada monitors and continues to monitor the situation along the Polish border as well as along borders with other countries. Currently, the focus is primarily on supporting several key local partners in Ukraine by providing food and medical supplies to more than 700 local shelters and animal caretakers. More information about this project can be found on the Ukraine emergency page.
At this time, little information is known about the situation of farm animals in Ukraine, but it is very likely that livestock and livestock farmers will also soon need support. VSF international will continue to monitor the situation and evaluate if the reach of the projects from VSF can be increased in supporting the people of Ukraine.
If you would like to help us support Ukrainian refugees through the above projects, please donate to:
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