Ukraine

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

Neutering

Naturewatch Foundation continues to fund the free neutering scheme operated by SPA-SOS from its shelter which has proved to be a great success.

In addition, an agreement exists with several local districts that allows SPA-SOS to catch stray animals and take them to be neutered, vaccinated and receive veterinary care if needed. Suitable candidates for rehoming are kept at the shelter and the remainder are returned to where they were found, where they will continue to be cared for by local residents.

Naturewatch Foundation will continue to fund and develop neutering programmes in partnership with SPA-SOS aimed at easing Kyiv's stray animal problem.  Since setting up its own veterinary unit, the shelter is able to neuter an average of 75 animals per month.

Animal Protection Legislation

The Society continues to work tirelessly for the introduction of an Animal Protection Bill. Despite a hugely successful launch organised by the Kyiv SPA-SOS attended by Naturewatch, International Division of the RSPCA and the British Ambassador, progress has been delayed for a number of political reasons. SPA-SOS has identified several MPs who have agreed to support the introduction of the Bill and help its passage. Unfortunately, in Ukraine, even the success of an animal protection society depends largely upon the change of political leaders and their attitude.

SPA-SOS continues to promote the importance of introducing animal protection legislation. The Draft Bill, which includes vivisection issues, has been prepared by the society working closely with legal specialists, interested Ministry of Justice officials and medical/veterinary experts.

Although, ideally, we would like the Bill passed in its entirety, it's highly likely that concessions will have to be made. We have agreed that it's better to have some form of animal protection legislation in place, even if watered down, rather than nothing at all, and the sooner this happens the sooner SPA-SOS can start work on introducing amendments to strengthen the Bill.

Anti-Vivisection Activities

Good contacts have been established with scientists from several universities where experiments on animals are carried out. Presentations have been made in an effort to sensitise them to basic animal protection concerns with the ultimate aim of reducing the number of animal experiments and to persuade them to introduce humane alternatives (e.g. use of computer software programmes) during the teaching of students.Some, with particular mention of Professors Makarchuk and Furmanov, continue to co-operate with SPA-SOS in achieving this goal.

The Biology students of Shevchenko University were the first students to be provided with computers, a scanner and printers which means their use of animals has decreased by eighty-five percent! Professor Makarchuk, Head of the Institute of Physiology, was instrumental in this wonderful achievement. Thanks to him SPA-SOS has also managed to convince the Dean and other lecturers, who were sceptical about the introduction of alternative teaching methods, that it is possible to reach the necessary standard of education without the use of animals. For the foreseeable future some animals will continue to be used, however, we are delighted that SPA-SOS is managing to influence and introduce improvements to the awful conditions in which laboratory animals are kept.

The Society will continue to build upon this contact with Kyiv universities and encourage the introduction of alternative teaching methods.

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