– thanks to the generous support of the Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust, 182 female dogs of breeding age were sterilized – amid freezing winter cold, snow underfoot, wailing air raid sirens overhead, and the ever-closing threat of drones..

In a region where war has forced families to evacuate and countless animals have been left behind, sterilization has become one of the most important tools to prevent a deepening animal welfare crisis.

This lifesaving campaign was carried out by our dedicated veterinary partners, Доступна Стерилізація (Affordable Sterilization), working side by side with brave local volunteers who helped coordinate families, transport dogs, and keep everything running despite the constant dangers of a city under attack.

Over the course of five intense days, the team spayed:

• 134 domestic dogs
• 48 stray dogs

Many of the domestic dogs were yard dogs – a common form of pet ownership in Ukraine, where dogs live outdoors to guard homes and property. These dogs are the primary source of unwanted litters, making them the most effective group to target when trying to stop the cycle of abandonment.

Some of these dogs were too frightened to be safely handled, so the veterinary team’s highly skilled dog catcher used humane anaesthesia darts to sedate them safely in their kennels before surgery.

🎥 Watch the video highlights of this powerful sterilization event amidst the terror of war 👇

Helping Dogs From Neighbouring Frontline Cities

The need for sterilization in this region is immense.

The veterinary team even travelled to Sloviansk, another city subjected to relentless shelling, to collect 12 owned dogs whose families were desperate for sterilization help.

In addition, three more dogs were brought by volunteers from Druzhkivka, another nearby city facing constant attacks.

These journeys are not simple. Roads are dangerous, military checkpoints are frequent, and drone threats are a daily reality. But the determination of volunteers and families shows just how much people want to stop the suffering before it begins.

🎥 Watch the video of the team braving the journey to Sloviansk amid the ongoing shelling and dangers 👇

Reaching the Stray Dogs Too

Alongside the owned dogs, 48 stray dogs were humanely caught and sterilized.

This essential work was made possible thanks to the veterinary team’s professional dog catcher, whose services were generously funded by Affordable Sterilization’s own foundation. Without this support, many of these dogs could never have been reached.

The Impact: Thousands of Puppies Never Born Into Suffering

Sterilization has an extraordinary impact over time.

By spaying 182 female dogs, we estimate that at least 2,184 puppies will be prevented from being born into hardship in the first year alone, based on an average of six puppies per litter and two litters per year.

And that number compounds rapidly in future years as those puppies would otherwise go on to reproduce themselves.

Every single surgery prevents more suffering and helps stop the endless cycle of abandoned puppies before it begins.

Compassion on the Frontline

In cities like Kramatorsk, where evacuation continues and abandoned pets quickly become stray animals, sterilization is not simply helpful, it is essential.

This campaign was only possible thanks to the extraordinary courage and dedication of many people:

• the veterinary team travelling to work in a dangerous frontline city
• the volunteers who organized transport and coordinated families
• and the families who chose responsibility for their dogs despite the challenges of life in wartime.

Even as the frontline edges closer, compassion refuses to retreat.

Thousands more animals are still waiting for help, but thanks to the determination of everyone involved, 182 dogs – and thousands of future puppies – now have a better future.

If you would like to help support future sterilization missions in frontline communities, your support can directly fund veterinary care, equipment, and lifesaving surgeries for animals who would otherwise be forgotten.

Together, we can continue stopping suffering before it begins. 🐾

👉 Donate here to help the next sterilization campaign: