The path from protests against the exploitation of animals in circuses to the evacuation of thousands of animals from the front lines. Read about the results of a decade of struggle by UAnimals
On March 7, 2026, UAnimals celebrates its tenth anniversary. What began in 2016 with a sincere belief that animals do not belong in circuses has grown into a large humanistic movement. Today, it is a community of thousands of people who, even in the darkest times, do not abandon those who cannot protect themselves.
Our journey began with the fight against the exploitation of animals in circus arenas. We organized protests near the National Circus, created a petition, negotiated with the Ministry of Culture, and explained why entertainment at the cost of suffering is not okay. As a result, traveling circuses with animals were banned in thirty cities across Ukraine.
But the fight for humanity has never been about just one issue. Over the past ten years, we have initiated dozens of campaigns promoting changes in attitudes towards animals and the environment.
Over the years, thousands of people have taken part in All-Ukrainian marches for animals together with UAnimals. And when the pandemic prevented people from gathering in the streets, the march was held online for the first time, allowing people from all over the country to join in.
By the way, in 2019, we released the first UAnimals merchandise — T-shirts with slogans that helped to manifest humanity at marches and in everyday life. And for the 10th anniversary of the organization, we re-released the first drop and created the collection “Merch is back: 10 years of fighting for humanity”. These are T-shirts with slogans that are still relevant today, but now they also help save animals from war. After all, 100% of the profits go to support UAnimals.
Creative campaigns helped us talk about complex topics in a way that people would hear them. For example, in 2020, together with our partners, we “set fire” to the Dynamo stadium to stop the burning of dry grass, and in 2023, alongside the stars of world cultural figures on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, we placed stars dedicated to endangered species in Ukraine.
At the same time, UAnimals worked to get society to reject natural fur. Thanks to this initiative, in 2018, seven Ukrainian brands stopped using it, and the country’s main fashion award introduced a separate category for ethical designers: Cruelty-free fashion.
Later, after the start of the full-scale invasion, UAnimals initiated an international information campaign #StopEcocideUkraine to draw attention to Russia’s environmental crimes. One such action was an installation near the bull statue in New York, where a sculpture of a rocket appeared next to the symbol of the financial world — a reminder of Russia’s ecocide in Ukraine.
At the same time, we understood that for the changes to be irreversible, they had to become law. Therefore, together with our partners, we are working systematically to ensure that humanity becomes part of the law.
Thus, in 2019, on our initiative, the Verkhovna Rada created the inter-factional association “Humane Country,” which included thirty deputies from different parties. They all came together to promote humanistic values and protect animals from cruelty and suffering.
In the following years, we managed to contribute to the adoption of a number of important decisions. Among them:
Today, many other legislative changes that we have initiated over the past 10 years have not yet been finalized, but the work continues.
Today, our community brings together more than 3,900 volunteers who help animals in various ways. They visit shelters, support environmental initiatives and information campaigns, care for stray animals in their cities, and even help on the front lines.
Together, our volunteers have collected over 120 tons of trash during cleanup marches, and since the start of the full-scale war, they have made over 150 trips to frontline areas, distributing dozens of tons of food to people who care for abandoned animals.
At the same time, UAnimals is not just a team and a community, it is first and foremost the people who have supported us morally, physically, and financially all these years.
The full-scale invasion changed the format of our activities and priorities. Part of the team joined the army, while the rest focused on rescuing animals from the war.
During this time, together with you, UAnimals has helped more than 650,000 animals:
At the same time, the organization continues to work in other areas — legally protecting animals from cruelty, promoting humane changes in legislation, conducting educational events and international campaigns to draw the world’s attention to Russia’s environmental crimes.
At the same time, saving lives in frontline areas is never easy. In 2025 alone, the enemy attacked our vehicles with drones twice. Now we have only one evacuation vehicle left, which needs repairs after almost every trip. In order to continue our work, we launched a fundraiser for a new evacuation vehicle on the organization’s tenth anniversary. If you can, please support our fundraiser or join the Animal Rescuers Club with a monthly subscription for an amount that is comfortable for you to support our work on a regular basis.
UAnimals has never been just an organization. We are you, a community of people who do not ignore cruelty. Those who volunteer at shelters, who take evacuated animals into their families, who spread information, who support the work of our team with regular contributions.
Thank you to each and every one of you who are with us.
UAnimals — 10 years of standing for humanity. And we continue.
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