Solutions from Ukraine: Care Without Borders project to offer free sterilization for homeless and domestic cats and dogs

On January 6, a charity project called "Care Without Borders: Free Sterilization of Cats and Dogs" was launched in Ukraine. The project aims to help both homeless and domestic animals.

The co-organizers of the initiative, Royal Canin, reported that.

What is the problem?

According to UAnimals, a pair of cats and their offspring can produce 420 thousand kittens in 7 years, while a pair of dogs and their offspring can have up to 84 thousand puppies.

Accordingly, even a small number of homeless, unsterilized animals can significantly increase their number in just a few years.

What is the solution?

Sterilization is recognized as an efficient and compassionate approach to addressing the issue of homeless animals. As a result, on January 6, the program "Care Without Borders: Free Sterilization of Cats and Dogs" was implemented in Ukraine. Royal Canin Ukraine and the NGO "Dog&Duck" partnership will provide sterilization services for stray and owned animals until February 28, 2025.

The sterilization service will be free at the project's partner veterinary clinics. Both pet owners and volunteers who care for homeless animals can use it. In addition, all four-legged friends will receive a rabies vaccination if necessary.

How does it work?

Sterilization is an essential practice for pets as it greatly decreases the chances of them falling ill to various diseases, ensures they do not wander off during hunting season, and eliminates the urge to fight over mating prospects. Additionally, it minimizes the possibility of them contracting any sexually transmitted infections.

Even if your pet stays indoors and doesn't go outside, it's still necessary to sterilize it, as it will continue to produce hormones and display natural behaviors. Plus, there are no guarantees that the animal won't accidentally escape through an open window or door.

Where will the project operate?

The initiative covers six regions, including:

• Zaporizhzhia;
• Kyiv region (Hostomel and Pereiaslav);
• Mykolaiv and Mykolaiv region (Pervomaisk);
• Odesa and Odesa region (Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi);
• Kharkiv and Kharkiv region (Barvinkove);
• Poltava and Poltava region (Horishni Plavni and Dykanka village).

Please complete the Google form to sign up your pets or any stray animals for sterilization. The project organizers will contact you based on the queue order. The number of places is limited.

The project covers only the costs of:

• conducting surgical intervention for sterilization/castration of animals (dogs and cats), providing postoperative care in case of complications;
• vaccination of animals (dogs and cats);
• identification with an ear tag of dogs.

The project does not cover any other costs for medical examination, treatment, surgical intervention, providing medicines for animals, etc.

For reference:

As Rubryka previously reported, the results of the study showed that 82% of Ukrainians consider sterilization to be an effective way to combat the uncontrolled reproduction of stray animals.

It was also noted that the humanist movement "UAnimals" and the chain of pet stores MasterZoo launched the "Paw of Care" collection for the sterilization of animals in front-line cities and villages where there are no veterinary clinics.

Furthermore, Zoopatrol UA stands out as a one-of-a-kind refuge for four-legged creatures in Ukraine. Their veterinary clinic handles the most challenging cases and even arranges for animals to be sent overseas. Not to mention, their enclosures have heated floors. Rubryka delved into the story of how a Ukrainian producer and his team managed to establish this exceptional shelter during the seven months of the war. Check out Rubryka's article, "How a Unique Ukrainian Shelter Provides Animals a First-class Home."