Ukraine's Liberated Areas To Get Spay/Neuter, Microchip, Vaccinations and Passports For Abandoned Animals
Ukraine War Animals Relief Fund (UWARF) is setting up M*A*S*H-style clinics in Kharkiv and surrounding villages during the month of December.
SEATTLE, Nov. 30, 2022 /CNW/ - Nearly 12 million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion started. At least 30% of Ukrainians were forced to leave behind their pets, which resulted in millions of domesticated animals wandering Ukraine alone and vulnerable to bomb and missile attacks. With winter coming and the Russians taking out infrastructure, conditions will be horrific.
Ukrainian Animals War Relief (UWARF) launched a 501c3 nonprofit to:
- Run mobile spay, neuter, and vaccination M*A*S*H clinics to prevent the problem from getting worse. UWARF has already done over 2,700 animals.
- Provide a technology platform powered by Microsoft's not-for-profit social initiative.
- Creates an NFT (non-fungible token) of each of the abandoned dogs and cats to catalog Ukraine's animals and raise funds for food, medicine, and supplies. Photos appear on the Web in their last known location.
- Build the nation's most comprehensive database of abandoned Ukrainian pets and use facial recognition, so Ukrainians can upload a photo of their missing pet to find a match.
The current initiative will start with two locations in Kharkiv followed by clinics in newly liberated villages like Izyum, Lyubotin, Kovsharovka (Kupyansk), Chuguev, Slobozhanska, Vysokoye, Merefa (and nearby areas).
"We are proud supporters of UWARF's mission at Microsoft," says Justin Spelhaug, Vice President and Global Lead of Tech for Social Impact. "As Ukrainian pet owners endure heartbreaking decisions, UWARF is providing real relief and compassion in the form of food, medical care, and shelter to these innocent animals. We are honored to be UWARF's technology partner and are happy to provide nonprofit grant support."
UWARF has been crowd fundraising but is looking for a large organization or someone like McKenzie Scott to back doing 400,000 Ukrainian animals over the next three years. That's the tipping point to stop the growth and slow rabies. UWARF deploys local veterinarians and it cost $44 to spay/neuter, vaccinate, microchip and provide a passport. To avoid the tidal wave coming of animals and rabies it will cost $17 million. "That's a big number, but to do 400,000 animals at $44, that's the math", says Fine.
To help Ukrainian animals in dire need of assistance, visit https://www.gofundme.com/UWARF to donate.
SOURCE Ukrainian War Animals Relief Fund
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