Press Release: Dutch Christmas Village for street dogs in Ukraine

       www.houseofanimals.nl

First Christmas houses have arrived. | © House of Animals

PRESS RELEASE: Dutch Christmas village for war dogs in Ukraine AMSTERDAM/DNIPRO, DECEMBER 1, 2025 - A Dutch Christmas village will be built in southeastern Ukraine on December 9. No people, no market stalls, no bright lights, but just one hundred small Christmas houses for dogs who have lost their owners. In the war zone near Dnipro, two Dutch animal rights activists will provide a sheltered, warm place during freezing temperatures, explosions, and air raid sirens. The Dutch Christmas houses will be placed at the Pegasus animal shelter, where new displaced or injured pets are brought in daily by Ukrainian soldiers. The wooden houses will be filled with straw and blankets, and illuminated with Christmas lights. Enjoy your new Christmas house Monika !!   Monika One of the dogs who will soon be getting a Christmas home is Monika, a female dog estimated to be six years old. She was found in the devastated city of Kramatorsk, chained next to an overturned dog kennel. Three dead puppies lay beside her. Monika was emaciated, her skin bitten by ticks, her body covered in wounds, and her stomach filled with mud and pebbles, the only food she could eat to survive. At Lucy's Emergency Animal Hostipal in the Netherlands, located at the Ukrainian shelter Pegasus, she received weeks of medical care, IVs, food, and rest. Now she is strong enough to walk again. Street dog brought to the shelter by a Ukranian soldier Christmas house full of warmth "Monika lay there dying in silence – and now she gets a little Christmas house full of warmth," says Karen Soeters of House of Animals, the initiator of the Christmas village. "It's more than just wood and straw. It's a second chance." The animal welfare organization will travel to southeastern Ukraine on December 6th with two animal rights activists. Besides building the Christmas village, they will also open a crisis kitchen for more than 2,000 animals and pets. This will allow local caregivers to make porridge and mix kibble with water, flour, and oatmeal to keep the animals' stomachs full for longer. Homeowner Since the beginning of the invasion, House of Animals has been able to donate over €2 million in emergency aid to the displaced and injured animals, thanks to Dutch and Flemish donors. This includes food, medical care, an emergency hospital, a crisis kitchen, and new shelters. People who want to help expand the Christmas village can become co-owners of a dog house.  For more information, visit: houseofanimals.nl . -END PRESS RELEASE- The photos you submit are free to use, provided you include the credits below.  For an interview with Karen Soeters or other questions, please contact press coordinator Annebelle Nooteboom: +31 (0)85 222 1 444 / +31 (0)6 39 45 41 81 , or email a.nooteboom@houseofanimals.nl .

Fundraising target reached to help 3 stranded lions in Ukraine: A charity appeal has raised the funds needed to help bring 3 lions from war-zone Ukraine to Yorkshire Wildlife Park (UK)

Rafael and Shanti

Stricken Oleg, Rafael and Shanti are currently in a Rescue and Rehabilitation centre in Kyiv.  The youngsters are thought to be about 1 year old.

 

Oleg was rescued as a cub from private owners who fled the Sumy region during the escalation of war. He was raised by humans but longs for connections with other lions.

 

Siblings Rafael and Shanti were found in the Kharkiv region next to their dying mother, a lioness who had been abandoned in a private menagerie and starved.

 

Oleg is still living alone

The WildLife Foundation, the charity based at the park, launched an appeal to fund their rescue and facilitate the 2000 mile journey which will bring the trio of lions to Doncaster – their new forever home.

Director of Animals, Charlotte MacDonald, revealed: “Oleg and Rafael and Shanti will be mixed together for the first time to live in a pride.

 

“Oleg currently lives alone and so we are looking forward to introducing him to the others.

 

“Rafael and Shanti survived against all odds and are now inseparable, gentle and curious around people.

 

“They will live safely together in their new home in Yorkshire.”

 

The first lion rescue took place back in 2010, which brought 13 African Lions to the Park.

 

Their rescue won international accolades for saving the lions from horrific conditions in Romania and giving them a new home in Yorkshire.

Romanian Rescue

Our story begins back in 2009 in Romania. Three prides of African Lions were living in filthy, tiny concrete pens, fed on a meagre diet of scraps and faced an uncertain future. The Zoos new director realised that they could not care for them and contacted Yorkshire Wildlife Park to see about re-homing the Lions.

The story of these Lions touched the hearts of people across Yorkshire and the surrounding areas and a public appeal raised a simply incredible £150,000 to build a new reserve to home these poor Animals.

https://www.yorkshirewildlifepark.com/explore/conservation/wildlife-foundation/our-campaigns/lion-rescue-2/

13,000 kilos of hay on its way to Ukraine for hungry animals in Ukraine

  

13,000 kilos of hay on its way to hungry war animals in Ukraine | Photo: Pegasus

AnimalsToday  | 8 09 2025  www.animalstoday.nl

A few weeks ago, House of Animals issued an urgent appeal due to the dire situation facing the Pegasus shelter in Ukraine. There is hardly any hay available for the horses, ponies, goats, donkeys, and cows. Patricia from Smilde (Drenthe) contacted House of Animals with fantastic news: she is donating 13,000 kilos of hay for the hungry animals at Pegasus.  

Patricia herself fosters 14 horses, some of whom are given a second chance by her. Her passion for animals is immense. When she saw our emergency call for hay, she didn't hesitate and immediately came to help. Patricia:

"I saw the call for Ukraine, saying there's no more hay. Then I thought: I have 30 bales of hay here, so I'll buy some new ones and donate what I have.

Patricia from Smilde donated 13,000 kilos of hay | Photo: Patricia from Smilde

13,000 kilos of hay to Ukraine

No sooner said than done! On Wednesday, September 3rd, the truck full of hay departed for Ukraine. With 13,000 kilos of hay, Pegasus can feed its horses, ponies, and other animals for another two weeks. Patricia:

War is terrible for everyone, but animals have no voice. They are completely dependent on humans. That's why we must all work together to help them. Animals can't flee; they're trapped. They need help because they're hungry!

Previous hay donations for war animals

This donation reminds us of April 2022, when, shortly after the outbreak of war, Durkje Visser and René de Boer from Bears, Friesland, donated no fewer than 66 bales of silage and 75 bales of hay. With this donation, they helped a riding school that had to feed its 35 horses and 40 evacuated horses.

And another truck…

And we have more good news! Last week, a second truck left for Ukraine, fully loaded with pallets of food donated by WWAR and over 1,400 kilos of pet supplies collected through our fantastic colleague Frida, along with several wonderful donors from House of Animals! This truck will arrive at Pegasus next week.

Frida (bottom right) received help loading the truck | Photo: House of Animals

Many thanks to Patricia and WWAR for the donated food, to the Dopomoha Foundation for arranging the transport, to the Wings for Animals Foundation for the donated supplies, and to everyone who donated supplies and money for the war animals in Ukraine!      

Truck ready to leave for Ukraine | Photo: House of Animals

Pegasus provides shelter to approximately 1,800 animals and is very grateful for all donations. Hay remains urgently needed, and all donations are more than welcome.

What can you do?

• Help the war animals in need !
• Follow the work of House of Animals in Ukraine via AnimalsToday, Facebook and Instagram     
• Adopt an animal from a distance in Ukraine !
• Also read on Animals Today:

©AnimalsToday.nl | House of Animals Estefania Pampin Zuidmeer

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