Animals in the Context of War
The Russian invasion of Ukraine beginning in February 2022 created one of the world's most severe animal welfare emergencies. Millions of companion animals, farm animals, and wild animals have been affected by shelling, displacement, infrastructure destruction, abandonment, and the collapse of normal veterinary and care services. Ukraine's animal welfare situation illustrates with painful clarity how animal wellbeing is inseparable from broader human security and social stability.
Millions
Animals affected by conflict
6M+
Ukrainians who fled with pets (est.)
100s
Animal rescue organizations active
Kherson
Flooding (2023) stranded thousands of animals
Companion Animals: Displacement and Abandonment
When Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes — often with little warning and with severe restrictions on what they could bring — companion animals faced terrible outcomes. Many were left behind, either because owners could not bring them or because border crossing rules initially prevented animal crossing.
Scale of Impact: Estimates suggest hundreds of thousands of dogs and cats were abandoned in conflict zones. Animals left in apartments died of thirst and starvation when owners fled without arranging care. Animals in bombed areas were killed or injured by explosions and fires. Surviving strays in conflict zones faced shelling, starvation, and disease without any human support infrastructure.
Rescue Operations
Ukrainian and international animal rescue organizations mounted extraordinary operations under extremely dangerous conditions:
- Volunteers entered active conflict zones to rescue trapped and abandoned animals from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mariupol, and other cities
- Networks coordinated animal evacuations, sometimes alongside human evacuations, through humanitarian corridors
- Temporary shelters were established in safer western regions of Ukraine and in neighboring countries (Poland, Slovakia, Romania) to house evacuated animals
- International organizations including World Animal Protection, Humane Society International, and dozens of smaller NGOs provided emergency funding and logistics support
Extraordinary Heroism: Ukrainian animal rescuers documented entering shelled buildings to rescue trapped animals, crossing active front lines to deliver food and medicine to abandoned zoo animals, and maintaining shelters under bombardment. The commitment of these individuals represents some of the most remarkable welfare work in the organization's history.
Zoos and Wildlife Centers
Ukraine has numerous zoos, animal parks, and wildlife rehabilitation centers whose animals could not simply be evacuated when conflict approached.
Kyiv Zoo
The Kyiv Zoo continued operating during the war, caring for over 4,000 animals despite constant danger. Staff lived on-site to maintain animal care. The zoo received international support to maintain food supplies and veterinary care for animals unable to be moved.
Kharkiv Zoo
Kharkiv, the second-largest city and close to the Russian border, saw intense fighting. The zoo was shelled multiple times; some animals were killed in strikes; heroic staff maintained care for survivors under bombardment. International organizations raised emergency funds to support continued operations.
The Kherson Flood (2023)
When the Kakhovka Dam was destroyed in June 2023, catastrophic flooding inundated large areas of southern Ukraine. The Kherson Wildlife Sanctuary and numerous farms were flooded, stranding thousands of animals on rooftops and in trees. Rescue operations combined human and animal evacuations in a race against rising water.
Farm Animals and Agricultural Collapse
Ukraine is a major agricultural nation — a global breadbasket. The war has devastated its agricultural sector with profound implications for farm animal welfare:
- Farms in conflict zones were shelled, with animals killed directly or left without food, water, and care as farmers fled
- Fuel and feed supply disruptions created nutrition crises even for farms far from fighting
- Veterinary services collapsed in many areas, leaving sick and injured livestock without care
- Infrastructure destruction (electricity, water) affected intensive livestock operations dependent on mechanical systems for feeding and ventilation
- International organizations including Brooke and World Animal Protection provided emergency veterinary support to displaced livestock and working animals
Wildlife
Wildlife has suffered from multiple conflict-related impacts:
- Habitat destruction: Shelling, fires, and military activity have destroyed habitat across significant areas of eastern Ukraine
- Contamination: Fuel, chemical, and munitions contamination affect wildlife directly and through food chains
- Unexploded ordnance: Mines and unexploded bombs continue to kill and injure wildlife years after placement
- Disruption of protected areas: Ukraine has significant nature reserves and national parks; military activity has disrupted management and protection
The long-term ecological damage to Ukraine's biodiversity will take decades to assess and recover from. Initial studies suggest significant wildlife population impacts in areas of sustained fighting.
International Response and Lessons
What Worked
- Pre-existing international animal welfare networks rapidly mobilized funding and supplies
- Social media enabled real-time coordination of rescue operations and fundraising
- Several European countries quickly amended border crossing rules to allow refugees to bring pets
- Temporary shelter networks in neighboring countries absorbed evacuated animals effectively
Policy Lessons
- Emergency planning for animals must be integrated into national disaster and conflict preparedness frameworks
- Border crossing rules should always include provision for companion animals accompanying refugees — the humanitarian cost of forcing people to choose between safety and their animals is real
- Zoo emergency protocols need international coordination frameworks developed in advance of crises
Positive Legacy: The extraordinary response by Ukrainian animal welfare workers and international organizations has raised global awareness of animals in conflict and demonstrated what coordinated emergency response can achieve even in the most extreme circumstances.
Pre-War Animal Welfare Context
Before the war, Ukraine was developing its animal welfare framework in alignment with EU standards as part of its EU association process. Key pre-war issues included:
- High numbers of stray dogs and cats, managed inconsistently between cities
- Significant livestock production sector with welfare standards below EU norms
- Growing urban animal welfare movement and companion animal rescue culture
- Wildlife poaching and trafficking challenges in border regions
Post-conflict reconstruction will need to include rebuilding animal welfare infrastructure alongside human welfare systems.
How to Help
- Support Ukrainian animal welfare organizations directly (UAnimals, Sirius shelter, Save Animals of Ukraine)
- Support international organizations with Ukraine programs (World Animal Protection, Humane Society International, IFAW)
- Advocate for policy changes ensuring animals are included in humanitarian response frameworks