21 Jul 2022
Thousands of veterinary professionals from North America, Europe and the UK have already volunteered to provide remote support for pets in war-torn country – but more help is needed.
James Westgate
Job Title
Vets and vet nurses in the UK have been asked to volunteer some time to help provide remote veterinary support to pet owners in Ukraine.
For the past few months, Galaxy Vets Foundation has been collecting and delivering supplies for animal welfare organisations in the war-torn country, as well as providing pet owners with free access to veterinary professionals through its telehealth platform.
The non-profit arm of US practice Galaxy Vets, Galaxy Vets Foundation was set up to improve access to care for underserved communities, and provide animal disaster and humanitarian response solutions.
Now, the foundation is prioritising its efforts in Ukraine and is reaching out to UK veterinary professions for help.
Galaxy Vets’ Ukrainian chief executive Ivan Zak said: “Ukraine is my motherland. We want to aid the best way we know how – helping animals.
“Shelters, veterinary clinics and volunteers are striving to save every life, but they are running out of resources and need support. We encourage individuals and organisations to donate to this good cause. This war is not just about the future of Ukraine. It is about the future of humanity.”
So far, almost 200 vets, technicians and vet nurses from North America and Europe have volunteered time to provide telehealth services to Ukraine.
More than 2,000 pet owners have already received professional assistance since the launch of the platform, but more help is needed, according to Galaxy Vets Foundation director Andrew Ciccolini.
Dr Ciccolini said: “Currently, there is an acute shortage of funding and resources, primarily medications, pet food and supplies.
“Lack of access to veterinary care and professional advice on pet health is another issue we are addressing by providing free, multi-lingual telehealth services and informational resources on our website.
“We want to ensure continuity of veterinary care in these difficult times and we would urge any veterinary professionals in the UK to help out if they can, even if it’s just a few hours.”
Another aspect of the Galaxy Vets Foundation initiative is an international collaboration to provide mental health support for veterinary professionals working in Ukraine.
Funds are being raised to provide psychologist-led, online group courses in a mindfulness-based intervention, to provide webinars and psychological support for individuals in need who cannot access support elsewhere.
