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Emergency Fund: No animal deserves to die in war!

Together with ROLDA for Ukraine animals

#GiveHope to animals that have no one else

#GiveHope to animals that have no one else

#GiveHope to animals that have no one else

The latest update from the locals which ROLDA helps since the beginning of the war in 2022 confirmed that the front is currently spread on this 7 regions*: Kharkiv, Donbas, Sumy, Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Kherson and Luhansk.
Things got worst not just because the settlements are transformed into ruins, the houses often have no windows and poor access to water or electricity, but the roads are controlled by Russians who keep drones very closed to the road to wait and shoot in any live target, shooting in civilians, ambulances and humanitarian transports. Needless to mention that Ukrainians who refused to flee their country back in March 2022 or any time after, are now extremely exhausted.

Local rescuers confirmed that recently, the Russians’ tactics have changed. If they used to try to take large cities by surprise, now they are surrounding them, constantly shelling, making life in the city impossible, then speeding the attack and capturing them. Current surrounding cities* are Pokrovsk, Myrnograd, Konstantinovka and Huliaipole. The evacuation missions became more dangerous and now, rescuers are trained by miliary to effectively use guns to shoot drones (which obviously mean, they will carry guns). Some of the rescue teams which actively save animals near the frontline invest into armoring their vans in order to make them “safer” – of course the improvised armor is not useful in case of a direct hit but helps in case of shrapnel. If you followed our news and reports since 2022, you can see how things drastically changed over the last few months, of course some regions being more affected than others.

ROLDA, being an animal charity, will keep providing support to people with animals and homeless or abandoned animals, affected by this conflict. You continue to be the only hope they have.

(*These are the regions as per 10 December 2025, but things often change rapidly. In order to stay accurately informed, we recommend you to visit this link as often as you want which shows in real time how the frontline positions change. This is helpful to not fully count on the media which often manipulates, in both ways).

Since the war started, ROLDA kept distance from political statement because we are a non profit, non political entity regardless what we feel and think as individuals. The president of ROLDA has been in Ukraine to help evacuate animals from villages located near battle areas but also to meet the people which ROLDA support because of our donors generosity and compassion.

Animals are living in horrible conditions, especially in war zones. Shelters are in danger of being completely destroyed if a bomb accidentally falls in the wrong place. Many have already been destroyed or burned.

From the beginning of the war, the ROLDA team located just 8 km from the border with Ukraine and Moldova has been busy finding the best way to help people and animals affected by the war. We want to help the best we can, especially the animals who are left behind on the streets of Ukraine and need to be rescued, or animals from shelters in bombarded cities that lack vital resources and where the animal rescue activity can’t continue as before the war.

Even if the war stops tomorrow, the consequences of the war (depopulation, economic disaster) will have a long-term impact on these innocent people and their animals. But we will continue to help them for as long as we can.

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During 2025, ROLDA continued to join evacuation missions working side by side with Ukrainians to save thousands of animals (dogs, cats, goats, cows, horses, donkeys etc) from bomb blasts, airstrikes and drone attacks. We continued to distribute monthly small grants to shelters and rescuers in Ukraine (especially the ones located closer to frontline) and we supervise how the money is spent, making sure that every donation is used to buy food, and essential supplies, to cover veterinary care for the poor animals suffering because of this war and fuel for the evacuation missions.

Regardless of bullets and bombs, we promise to fight as hard for the animals as the Ukrainians are fighting for their homeland!

Activity report for 2025

Total number of animals helped:
Month Type of animals Total Download
Month January Type of animals cats, dogs, others Total approx 3800 Download See full report here
Month February Type of animals cats, dogs, others Total approx 4000 Download See full report here
Month March Type of animals cats, dogs, others Total approx 4000 Download See full report here
Month April Type of animals cats, dogs, others Total approx 4000 Download See full report here
Month May Type of animals cats, dogs, others Total approx 4000 Download See full report here
Month June Type of animals cats, dogs, others Total approx 3800 Download See full report here
Month July Type of animals cats, dogs, others Total approx 3000 Download See full report here
Month August Type of animals dogs, cats, farm animals, wildlife Total approx 3000 Download See full report here
Month September Type of animals dogs, cats, farm animals, wildlife Total approx 3000 Download See full report here

Locations: Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Kryvyi Rih, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Nikolaev, Odessa, Vilniansk, Zaporizhezhe

Number of grants distributed across Ukraine: 16
Individual rescuers: 10
NGOs: 6
Targets: rescue animals from battle zone; feeding dogs, cats, others; medical care.

On site rescue animals from bombed villages

Into the War Zone

A few days ago, I met up with Ruslan again. I wanted to volunteer again to help with the ongoing task of extracting animals from the war zone. And if I were returning close to battle zones under fire, where situations rapidly change, and exposure to bombs and bullets is a very real threat, I wouldn’t choose many people above Ruslan.

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Dana’s Journey to Ukraine

With a heart full of dedication and compassion, Dana Costin, CEO of ROLDA, embarked on a five-day mission to Ukraine travelling to the Kharkiv region, where she provided crucial support for animal rescue operations near the front lines.

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The Little Coin That Continues to #GiveHope

A few days ago, I returned from another trip to the Ukraine. As you read this, please understand that this isn’t a corporate report filled with numbers and statistics (though we can provide those), but something written from the heart—my heart.

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Impact of your donation 2022-2025

  • 40+ supported rescuers and shelters.
  • Sent funds for food and veterinary aid for approximately 63,000 animals, especially around the battle zones.
  • Delivered 70 tons of supplies-food for animals and humans, hay for farm animals.
  • Sterilised approximately 5,000 animals.
  • Repaired 2 shelters destroyed by bombs.

Our impact in pictures

(latest update: December 2025)

Your donation is being put to work to save Ukrainian animals

Ongoing: Financial aid sent across Ukraine

ROLDA assisted with small repeated grant the rescuers located in Boryspil, Cherkasy, Dnepr, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kiev, Korosten, Kropyvnytskyi, Lviv, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Vilniansk, Zaporizhezhe. In order to continue to receive support, rescuers must acknowledge the donation and send us a short update/report on how the grant was spent. This allows us to ensure that our supporter's donations are being used for their intended purpose and it allows us to update our supporters. We believe in transparency! The Ukrainian shelters have full responsibility for how they spend the money received and ROLDA is not affiliated with/doesn’t endorse any shelter from Ukraine.

Drive with food and medicine in Ukraine

ROLDA team doesn’t visit Ukrainians rescuers with empty hands. Every time we cross the border, we take the necessary steps and follow all Customs requirements to deliver food and medicines to animals and people.

Other ways we helped

ROLDA is contributing to sterilization campaigns and also donated to shelters destroyed by bombs, drones, fires, helping them to rebuild kennels, units and enclosures where more animals in need to find a refuge.

ROLDA’s big goal

ROLDA is taking steps towards creating a new rescue center at the Romania-Ukraine border.

ROLDA is taking steps towards creating a new rescue center at the Romania-Ukraine border. This center will be a beacon of hope for animals in need, providing the best possible care for generations of animals in Ukraine and Romania. It will be a safe and nurturing environment where they can receive the care and attention they need and deserve. With the continued support of our donors, we are confident that this dream will become a reality, and together, we can make a real difference in the lives of animals suffering in Ukraine and Romania.

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Done between 2022-2024

Evacuating as many dogs as possible from Ukrainian shelters and rescuers

In 2022 and 2023, ROLDA managed to rescue 125 dogs from private shelters located in Kyiv, Korosten, Cernauti, Mykolaiv, and Odesa. 80% of these have already been safely rehomed. Shelters are in danger of closing because of a lack of resources, and the animals and staff are in danger of becoming captive in occupied territories, yet many European countries have enforced border control for live animals claiming there is a danger of rabies. This is having a big effect on our adoption program. We hope at some point we will be able to rescue many more Ukrainian dogs, getting them to safety at ROLDA where they will spend a period in quarantine before getting the necessary papers to transport them to our partners in Europe, the US, etc. Galati is strategically located near Odessa. We are just 8km from the border (Reni checkpoint) and can take animals in immediately as soon as we are allowed.

Sending supplies (food and medicines for animals, food and hygiene products for people)

ROLDA sent humanitarian supplies to Korosten, Zaporizhezhe, Mykolaiv as well as to Chernihiv (hay for farm animals). The videos show local rescuers distributing food for animals in Mykolaiv and Zaporizhezhe regions.

Offering veterinary support and food for the pets of refugees arriving in Romania, Reni-Giurgiulesti and Isaccea

Thanks to our volunteers, we manage to translate leaflets in Ukrainian and distribute them at the border, in Giurgulesti-Reni and Isaccea checkpoints which explain that ROLDA provides hygiene supplies, food for refugees’ pets as well as free medical assistance. Leaflets distributed by our volunteers in Tulcea Supplies offered to the Ukrainian refugees in Tulcea

Shop to help #UkraineAnimals

Buy handmade or ROLDA personalized products from our shop to help us support dogs currently living in private shelters in Ukraine.

Buy Vanko mascot

Buy t-shirt

Together, we will fight for the life of every abandoned pet!

Ukraine animals need us TODAY but also after the war will end.

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Transparency corner

Activity Report 2022
Activity Report 2023
Activity Report 2024

Goals 2026

  • Physically join rescue mission to evacuate animals in war zone in Ukraine
  • Distribute grants transparently to rescuers with priority to those located close to battle areas
  • Translate coloring book to print and distribute across Ukraine after cease fire
  • Raise awareness internationally about the plight of Ukrainian animals

Testimonials from Ukrainian rescuers

“Dana, I just want to thank you for everything you have done for us. We bought a plot. We are already settling animals little by little. Thanks to your help, with the money transferred to us last time, we now have a plot for animals. Thank you for everything you do for animals in Ukraine.”
Irina Fedorchenko from Zaporizhia
August 2023

“My dear, God bless you for your help! Now I get just a few donations coming and the costs are high because of the sick and the disabled on top of all other about 200 of them in total to look after every day! Today I bought food for all from your donations: if it weren’t for you and ROLDA the dogs would have been hungry. Dana, Thank you very much!”
Claire from Poltava
June 2022

“The community in Korosten is grateful to ROLDA. Thanks to you we managed to sterilize 110 cats. ROLDA is an amazing charity.”
Lida from Korosten
June 2022

“Thank you so much for your financial support for our animals! I was very touched honestly I cried, because this amount was enough to buy the hay I ordered. Now I can pay for it in full and I think it will be enough for delivery!”
Ludmila from Borodyanka
June 2022

The war continues in Ukraine… Animals (and people who care about them) need you!

We transform the future of #UkraineAnimals

ROLDA Hero rescues 11 helpless puppies

Busya has a chance at a better future

Barbariska’s story: hit by a car, fighting for her life

Together with ROLDA for #UkraineAnimals

Helping refugee’s pets March – May 2022

Rescuing dogs from war

Ukraine war & animals in danger

Disclaimer:
ROLDA is a registered charity that helps animals in need. Funds raised through this appeal will be used to support the specific purpose of this appeal. In the event that funds raised exceed the specific needs of this appeal, any additional funds will be used to support the ongoing costs for welfare of animals under the care of ROLDA.
About photos:
ROLDA received the above photos from Ukrainian friends on Facebook, we have no responsibility for the copywriting claims because photos are used to reflect the situation and animals in Ukraine and have no commercial purpose.