Save the Dogs and other Animals
Save the Dogs and other Animals is Romania’s leading animal welfare organization. The organization was founded in 2002 to promote a culture in Romania where people recognize the importance of animal welfare in their communities and where the inhumane killing of stray dogs stops. Save the Dogs and other Animals provides free sterilization and treatment for animals living in the streets and living as free-roaming members of their communities.
TWO YEARS OF OUTREACH IN UKRAINE
More than two years since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Save the Dogs remains the only Italian animal protection organization still fully operational in the country.
Ukraine continues to endure the devastating effects of the war on both humans and animals. Many regions are under constant missile and bombing assaults, worsening the situation for animals daily. The severe flooding caused by the Russian attack on the largest dam of the Dnieper River in June 2023 has further exacerbated the situation, particularly in Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk, which has also had a severe affect on the animals living in these regions.
By 2023, the outreach had extended to a broader area of Ukraine, including Kharkiv in the north-east, Mykolaiv in the south, and Kherson, just behind the Russian front line.
This involves two principal types of intervention: the distribution of food and essential goods, and the launch of a sterilization and micro-chipping program in collaboration with five clinics across Odessa, Izmail, and Mykolaiv.
FOOD DISTRIBUTION
Since the beginning of the conflict, we have dispatched 1,116 tons of food (627 in 2023) in order to feed 9,000 animals living on the streets or in shelters.
Our area of operation stretches from Odessa to Kharkiv and also includes territories on the front lines of the war, such as Bakhmut, which has been devastated by Russian attacks, and Kherson, which is still struggling to recover from the flooding caused by the destruction of the Nova Kakhova dam. We also distribute food in Izmail, a locality not far from the Romanian border, a place which is infamous for the high numbers of abandoned and unwanted dogs and cats, further aggravated by the effects of war.
THE STERILIZATION PROGRAM
The majority of animals living on the streets are not sterilized, and a sharp rise in the birth rate is unavoidable unless comprehensive measures are taken. The new litters will experience significant challenges. Not only do they inhabit areas still embroiled in conflict, but many of the towns are deserted and there is no one to care for their needs.
For this reason, Save the Dogs has launched a free sterilization and micro-chipping program for stray and privately-owned cats and dogs in partnership with five clinics in May 2023. The program started in Odessa and later expanded to Izmail and Mikolaiv. Initially, it aimed to assist 1,000 animals over a six-month period: 800 dogs and 200 cats.
By the end of 2023, however, these goals were significantly exceeded, and a total of 3,441 sterilizations were performed (+244%).
Most dogs and cats assisted by the program in Odessa and Mykolaiv are privately-owned, whereas the majority of sterilized cats in Izmail are strays.
Our efforts were mainly concentrated in the urban areas of Odessa, Izmail, and Mykolaiv, where we established strong partnerships with volunteers right from the start of the war. Even though the high demand for veterinary services in these cities led to a general increase in service costs, we were able to successfully negotiate favorable agreements with many clinics, enabling us to reach and assist more animals than anticipated.
In Izmail, a city close to the border, large quantities of pets were abandoned by families fleeing the conflict. There has therefore been a notable rise in the number of cats living in groups, both here and in the surrounding areas. Estimates suggest that the feline population has tripled during the war. Accordingly, we have chosen to direct the focus of our activities in this city on the cat population.
DIRECT AID FOR ANIMALS
In addition to food supplies and sterilizations, we also provided veterinary care and essential goods. Save the Dogs responded to the specific needs of our partners by sending anti-parasitic treatments, kennels, and blankets, and by covering the costs of treating injured animals, particularly those affected by the tragic Kherson dam bombing.
One of the most moving stories over the past two years concerns Henry, one of the many dogs rescued by the Save the Dogs’ partners. When the Kakhovka dam in Kherson was destroyed in June 2023, Henry was one of the many animals suffering from the aftermath and the dire consequences of the dam’s destruction, including the subsequent flooding and industrial oil spills. Alone, petrified, and covered in toxic substances that were burning his skin, Henry was in a state of collapse when the rescuers found him. (left photo) Just three months later, thanks to the care and dedication of volunteers, he started the life he’d always deserved living with an adoptive family. (right photo)
OUTREACH STRATEGY IN 2024
The war is not over. In May 2024, Save the Dogs launched a new phase of the outreach phase based on a partnership with the Ukrainian Veterinary Medicine Foundation (UVMF), established by the Ukrainian Small Animal Veterinary Association (USAVA) and supported by the American Vet Foundation and FECAVA. UVMF serves as the logistical and technical partner in Ukraine, supervising sterilizations at veterinary clinics in Odessa, Izmail, and Kharkiv, as well as food distribution in Odessa and Kherson.
Since the beginning of the conflict, we have never abandoned the animals that have been left behind. In two years time, Save the Dogs has provided:
- 1,116 Tons of Food
- 455 Kennels
- 1,548 Anti-parasitic treatments
- 5,487 Sterilizations, Microchipping, Vaccinations
Organizational Information
- Website: www.savethedogs.eu
- Tax code: 97394230151
- 2022 Annual Report