Mobile Veterinary Clinic for Ukraine

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has created an unprecedented humanitarian and animal welfare crisis. Millions of people have been displaced, and countless animals have been abandoned, injured, or left without care. Existing veterinary infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, and access to remaining services is severely hampered by active hostilities, damaged roads, and lack of resources. Animals near the frontlines are particularly vulnerable, suffering from injuries, starvation, disease, and the psychological trauma of war. The uncontrolled breeding of stray animals further exacerbates the situation, leading to increased suffering, potential rabies outbreaks, and a significant burden on already stretched resources. Local animal welfare organisations and local volunteers, (many of which Nowzad already supports each month), are overwhelmed and under-resourced, desperately needing support to address the scale of the problem. Nowzad is an award-winning animal welfare charity dedicated to relieving the suffering of animals in conflict zones. Building on our extensive experience in challenging environments, our proposed solution is to establish a highly-adaptable & urgently-needed mobile veterinary clinic for Ukraine. This initiative will involve purchasing a decommissioned ambulance in the UK & transforming it into a fully equipped veterinary unit that will be based at our warehouse in Lviv, Ukraine. Ambulances are ideal for this purpose due to their robust design, internal fittings & carrying capacity. The clinic will provide essential veterinary care to rescued & abandoned animals in hard-to-reach areas near the frontline of fighting in Ukraine, where access to static veterinary services is severely limited or even non-existent. Furthermore, it will facilitate crucial Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) programmes, addressing the escalating stray animal population and preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases, particularly rabies, amidst the ongoing conflict.

First 12 months of operation:- o Provide direct veterinary treatment to approx. 500 animals in hard-to-reach areas; o Conduct TNVR for approx. 300-500 stray animals, focusing on high-density areas & those at increased risk of rabies outbreaks; o Administer a minimum of 800 vaccinations & anti-parasite treatment to animals; o Support & train 2 Ukrainian veterinary professionals in leading mobile clinic operations; o Establish effective communication channels & referral pathways with local NGOs