Interviews

Since 2014, Ukrainian servicewoman and poet Olena Bilozerska has been rescuing animals on the front line. She shares stories about the animals she rescued, including a puppy she exchanged for grenades and a kitten nearly snatched by US troops during training.

How is the protection of stray cats and dogs organized in Estonia? How does a shelter there function? What can other countries learn from Estonia? Read the interview with the chief administrator of a municipal shelter in Tartu.

Every year, thousands of wild hamsters are being killed in Ukraine. However, this is not the only reason why scientists predict its complete extinction by 2050. We talk about the threats to this species and rescue missions with Mykhailo Rusin, a researcher at the Rehabilitation and Reintroduction Center for Rare Species at Kyiv Zoo and the founder of the Hamster Rescue Center.

From patrolling the streets to going undercover, Mark Randell spent over three decades in law enforcement. After retiring from the police force, he dedicated himself to exposing a category of crime that is often overlooked: crimes against animals. In our conversation with Mark Rendell, we find out how he managed to reduce the number of pheasants brought to Britain to be killed, and what it takes to go undercover in the world of illegal dog fighting.

These people have spent years rescuing animals from the war and cruelty. However, they’ve also witnessed compassion and care on this path. What attitude towards the animals have they seen? We invite you to reflect on this while reading the stories from animal volunteers.

How the heron Marfa scolds a photographer, his meeting with the King of Belgium, and how an old cot became a shelter — read all about it in an interview with the globally renowned photographer Viacheslav Mishchenko.

Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, Natalka Sokolova, founder of the Accessible Sterilization project, and her colleagues have been living practically out of suitcases. They work on trips to frontline territories and the Kyiv region. In this interview, Natalka shares her experiences and the achievements of her initiative.

Risk your life to escape occupation or hide in a basement? Complicate your journey by bringing your animals or betray them by leaving them behind? This article is about choices — and about love and responsibility.

Forty years ago, UNESCO recognized Askania-Nova as one of the world's model natural reserves. It is the oldest steppe biosphere reserve globally and the largest in Europe. However, two and a half years ago, Askania fell under russian occupation and now faces severe neglect. In an interview for the #StopEcocideUkraine project, Reserve Director Viktor Shapoval talked about the devastating impact, including animal deaths, trenches in virgin steppes, and fires.

Since the beginning of the russian-Ukrainian war, the Truth Hounds NGO has been documenting and investigating war crimes, human rights violations, and environmental damage. As part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, the organization’s co-director and PhD in International Law Dmytro Koval told us who and how to bring to justice for ecocide in Ukraine.

Lennard De Klerk is a Dutch businessman and scholar who was perhaps the first in the world to study the impact of military conflicts on the climate. His research primarily focuses on the war in Ukraine, but the researcher argues that humanity will feel its effects far beyond the country's borders. Learn more about these consequences in the article published as part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project.

russia's war against Ukraine is destroying life and dividing families on both land and sea. This includes both people and animals. As part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, we explore the impact of the war on marine mammals.

If you are contemplating whether to adopt a mixed-breed dog from a shelter or take in a stray, this article is for you.

Helping animals with concussions and wounds from shelling wasn't the kind of work veterinarian Viktor Vorotnikov imagined in his childhood dreams. But this is the reality he shared with us in our conversation.

A heartwarming story about a soldier who took in a stray kitten at his dugout and now cares for her, just as she cares for him and his comrades.

The United States, Costa Rica, Uganda… Andrew Kushnir travels the world helping animals. This is his fifth visit to Ukraine: he has rescued not only cats and dogs but also lions and a leopard. He shared all of this in the interview, sometimes even in Ukrainian.

How do activists care for animals in Ukraine's regions? How does compassion for animals translate into hundreds of saved lives and the first court penalties for animal abusers? Read about this and more in an interview with a volunteer from the UAnimals community.

On the anniversary of the Kakhovka catastrophe, as part of the #StopEcocideUkraine project, we will hear firsthand accounts from eyewitnesses and immerse ourselves in their memories. Their testimonies reveal that ecocide is not an abstraction but a tangible reality — one that signifies the deliberate destruction of a specific area and the lives of the people and animals who once thrived there. russia must be held accountable

15-year-old student from the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine has come up with a way to make the future Kyiv Bypass Road safe for local animals. He was inspired by the experience of crabs from Christmas Island. More details and even more animal protection projects from Ukrainian teenagers can be found in the interview.

The persons in this text demonstrate their love for animals through their actions. Volunteers spend their weekends and vacations at shelters. They deliver food to places where there is shelling every day. And they even rescue a bat by housing it in their own refrigerator. Read on and join in!

The founder of a network of shelters for pets and farm animals shared her insights on equine-assisted therapy, explained the concept of ahimsa, discussed whether cows get sterilized, and revealed the cost of rescuing a large animal from occupied areas.

The story of a small animal who become a strong support during wartime for Ukrainian soldiers: reminding them of home and loved ones, being a friend and psychologist, and even saving live.