Ukraine

 Supporting the Kyiv Society for the Protection of Animals - SOS (SPA-SOS)

Background

After hearing about the barbaric clubbing and skinning of stray dogs and cats in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, supporters sent more than 10,000 letters to the Ukrainian Ambassador in London urging him to put pressure on the Mayor of Kyiv to immediately close the notorious ‘Budka’ (slaughter house and skinning factory).

An international campaign, spearheaded by the Kyiv Society for the Protection of Animals – SOS (SPA-SOS), drew the support of many animal welfare organisations throughout Europe and our combined efforts ensured victory for the animals. The notorious ‘Budka’ where thousands of abandoned animals were barbarically killed each year was closed in March 1997.

Following this victory, the ‘Budka’ site was handed over to SPA-SOS. Since then with the help of western animal welfare organisations, Naturewatch Foundation being one, the site has been transformed into Ukraine’s first genuine animal protection centre, serving as a model for Ukraine where stray dogs and cats can live without fear.

Today

Today the shelter shines as a tribute to the dedication and pioneering spirit of the Kyiv SPA-SOS led by its president Tamara Tarnawska.
 

Volunteers from all walks of life come to the shelter during their spare time to help the shelter staff with the care of about 300 dogs and 120 cats.  It is a regular meeting place for friends from the German, Canadian, American and British Embassies who take the dogs for walks, assist with the daily chores to care for the animals and help find homes with foreign families for many of the strays.  This group has formed a 'Shelter Support Committee' that provides moral support, establishes useful contacts and helps with fundraising.
 

The SPA-SOS office in central Kyiv serves as a resource and information centre and also plays a central role in co-ordinating the society’s lost and found and re-homing programmes.  Remarkably each year the Society reunites an average of 600 animals with their owners and rehomes about 300 animals.

Naturewatch Foundation:

• funds a neutering programme to ensure all pet owners, however poor, can have their animals neutered;
• provides a grant to help cover the administrative costs incurred by the Society.
• provides much-needed veterinary drugs;
• provides funds for specific projects undertaken by the society;
• helped equip a veterinary unit at the shelter to enable the society to carry out neutering and other small operations;
• funds training for SPA-SOS personnel.

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