Ukraine

Finally - hard work and determination pays off for Kyiv's stray animals!

Progress Report - February 2009

On 17th October 2008, we achieved a groundbreaking meeting with Mayor Chernovetsky regarding the stray animals of Kyiv.

The notorious “budka” (city-run holding location for captured strays) has been our prime concern for many years due to the barbaric conditions in which the animals are kept.  Following many meetings over the years, Mayor Chernovetsky finally issued instructions to set in motion the dismissal of the director in charge and appoint a new director who would work to create humane conditions for the animals.  Our representative in Kyiv, Ms Tamara Tarnawska – the leading animal welfarist in Kyiv – will advise the Mayor and the new director on all the issues relating to the humane care of stray animals including a rehoming programme.

Images: Above - Meeting with Mayor Chernovetsky. Below - Planning meeting with Head of Ministry of Health for Kyiv regarding stray animal protection.

At the meeting in October, the strategy was agreed and based upon the understanding that no more dogs would to be taken to the budka and the existing 200 plus dogs were to be moved into clean and warm enclosures with good food and daily exercise. In tandem with this, a new animal protection shelter would be built with the animals being relocated to this new facility where a major adoption/rehoming programme will be commenced.    Dismissal procedures are strict within Ukraine employment law and a Kyiv city tribunal has to be formed to hear the case for dismissal. This tribunal took place in early December and the existing director was duly dismissed. At that time, the new director commenced her duties and will conduct retraining for the existing staff. Those employees that fail to adopt a high enough standard of care will be dismissed. Tamara has had a number of meetings with the new director who is keen to establish a good protection regime for the animals.

However, since October the economic crisis has hit Kyiv and it has been particularly bad. Municipality staff have not been paid since November and there is some doubt about whether an allocation of funds will be available to create a new shelter facility. In this respect, we have funded work to extend the Kyiv Animal Protection shelter (operated by the Kyiv SPA-SOS - headed by Tamara Tarnawska) to take some of the dogs away from the budka but the shelter is full to overflowing with new strays that have been brought in from the streets.

Image right: Almost every day the Kyiv animal protection shelter finds abandoned animals left overnight outside the shelter.  Of course we take them in and care for them but it is a big strain on our limited funds and resources.

In light of this, although the Budka is poorly located, some three hours drive from Kyiv centre, we are taking dual action. First, we continue to push hard to gain funding from the Kyiv authorities for a new facility close to the city centre. The budget cannot be allocated until the beginning of April as this is when the next year's annual budget period begins - budgets are agreed for the year April to end March). And second, it has always been possible to greatly improve facilities at the budka site – the problem historically has been the unwillingness of existing directors to adopt humane standards. The appointment of the new director, who is very keen to ensure humane standards are met, opens up good possibilities of converting the existing enclosures into acceptable facilities where the dogs can enjoy comfortable conditions (they need a thorough cleaning and new wooden kennels). The supply of good food is not difficult – it just takes someone who cares and we are hopeful that the new director, to whom we are providing full support, can turn the facility round. In this way, if new funding is not forthcoming due to the economic squeeze, we can ensure that progress remains achievable in 2009.

Images: Above - Tamara and Miss Ukraine gain massive TV coverage to highlight the plight of the strays ahead of our meeting with the Mayor. Right - newspaper coverage of the meeting with Mayor Chernovetsky.

These are our goals for 2009 and we sincerely thank everyone who has supported our work in Ukraine over the years. It's been a long struggle with many battles won and some lost, and without your tremendous support we would have been unable to continue the fight to see the city of Kyiv introduce a humane stray animal programme.

This is the situation at the end of January 2009. In the coming months we have no doubt that we will face yet unknown challenges, but at least now we've made the breakthrough and we will continue to make progress. Finally, the barbaric attitude and conditions endured for so long by the strays of Kyiv have been brought to a complete end!

On behalf of Kyiv's stray dogs - we thank you most sincerely.

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