On April 22, the UAnimals team, along with volunteer Maryna Drabyk, carried out a rescue operation at the Hlyboke landfill near Boryspil in the Kyiv region. Around two hundred dogs live there in dire conditions. In a single day, rescuers and the volunteer managed to catch and remove 54 animals from the dump.
UAnimals team members Vlad Myachev, Danyil Koval, and Olha Viter participated in the rescue. It was grueling work — suffocating air, rats, and an overwhelming stench. Dogs were pulled out from under concrete slabs and metal structures and caught among the trash piles. UAnimals transported 37 dogs by car, and the rest were taken by a veterinary clinic’s van.
“The smell was unbearable; it was grueling work. There are an unbelievable number of dogs there, and no water. I don’t know what the dogs eat — no one gives them water. To drink, they have to climb down from huge piles of garbage to the bottom of the landfill. It’s full of rats and flies. So many dead bodies — both puppies and adult dogs,” said Olha Viter.
Landfill workers and animal catchers also joined the effort. “The Roma people who work there helped a lot. They handed over all the friendly dogs directly to us. We had two catchers with us as well. One tore off his bumper while driving through the trash but tied it back on and kept going,” Olha added.
Fifteen of the rescued dogs were taken to the Animal Sterilization and Adoption Center in Boryspil, where 15 enclosures were prepared for them. They will be sterilized at the center.
The rest of the dogs were taken to a clinic. UAnimals has currently covered the cost of sterilizing three dogs, vaccinating 15, and provided other veterinary services, medications, and temporary care. They also delivered 405 kilograms of food to the volunteer.
After sterilization, most of the dogs will have to return to the landfill — their original habitat. All animals are under the care of volunteer Maryna Drabyk; UAnimals does not decide where they live. The volunteer has arranged adoption and housing for up to 10 dogs. It’s extremely difficult to find homes for the others. Anyone interested in adopting a dog after sterilization can contact Maryna or UAnimals through social media.
More information about the situation — here and here.
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