 
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 notrorious 'Budka' (slaughter house and skinning factory).
An international campaign, spearheaded by the Kyiv Society for the Protection of Animals - SOS (Kyiv 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 literally thousands of abandoned animals were barbarically killed each year, was closed in March 1997.
Following this victory, the 'Budka' site was handed over to the Kyiv 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. Volunteers from all walks of life come to the shelter during their spare time to help the shelter staff with the care of the animals including taking the dogs for walks, assisting with the daily chores to care for the animals and help find them new homes, many with foreign families. In addition to rehoming, the society also operates a lost and found programme with the support of a local newspaper and carries out pioneering animal welfare activities.
For the past few years, Naturewatch Foundation has been operating a successful Sponsor a Dog programme but this will be wound down during 2012 due to the responsibility of stray animal control being taken over by the authorities. In November 2011, the authorities finally bowed to pressure from Naturewatch following a campaign against the inhumane killing of dogs in the lead up to the Euro 2012 Football Championship. Naturewatch will now be working with the authorities to introduce a comprehensive humane stray control programme.
We are delighted with this wonderful victory for animals! For more information about our pioneering work to help Ukraine's animals, please visit http://www.naturewatch.eu/
It's been an uphill battle making progress within the animal welfare sphere in Ukraine. A country where corruption is widespread, where journalists are killed or a criminal case can be fabricated for the simple 'crime' of criticising those in power!
 Over the years, Naturewatch Foundation has supported the following projects for the Kyiv SPA-SOS
- a neutering programme to ensure all pet owners, however poor, could have their animals neutered;
- a neuter and release programme working with local districts that allowed the Society to catch stray animals and take them to be neutered, vaccinated and receive veterinary care if needed. Dogs suitable for rehoming were kept at the shelter and the remainder were returned to where they were found and local residents continued to care for them;
- provided a grant to help cover the administrative costs incurred by the Society;
- funded training for SPA-SOS personnel;
- funded specific projects undertaken by the society such as anti-vivisection activities and humane education in schools and through the media;
- provided much-needed veterinary drugs, equipment, and helped cover major expenses such as refurbishment and vehicle costs to ensure dogs that were injured in road accidents could be collected and treated.
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