War zones put animals in grave danger. From abandoned pets to working donkeys and farm animals, the impact of conflict doesn’t stop with people. Many animals end up hungry, scared, or injured, facing a fight for survival in harsh conditions.
The good news is there are real ways to help, even from thousands of miles away. Here’s a list of practical steps anyone can take to help animals trapped by war.
If you wish to donate anonymously to below charities, set up an account at Charities Aid Foundation. Make one-off donations or set up giving accounts (for business, Gift Aid is taken care of).
easyfundraising is a no-brainer way to raise money. After selecting your chosen charity, any time you buy anything from a participating shop (even train tickets to insurance), a portion of the sale goes to them – loyalty points are not affected:
Charities Helping Animals in War Zones
Nowzad: Helping Animals in Afghanistan & Ukraine
Nowzad is a wonderful charity that’s well worth supporting. As it does amazing work to help animals abroad (often caught up in war). And funds have gone down due to austerity, but they are in great need of financial donations, to help them continue the important work they do.
First, a little history. The charity was founded by a former Royal Marine Sergeant serving in Afghanistan, who was appalled to see how many animals were suffering. He rescued and befriended a dog involved in organised dog-fighting and named him ‘Nowzad’ – his first ever name.
Originally formed to rescue stray cats and dogs in the country, today it has a bigger mission of helping animals caught up in war, the forgotten victims often of world events.
In Afghanistan (where donkeys and horses are main form of transport), volunteers educate local people on how to care for their animals, and provide advice and veterinary care. Nowzad has also recently opened the country’s first sanctuary for horses and donkeys, for older and retired or ill animals.
Here they receive loving care, good food and veterinary care, on the outskirts of Kabul. Here is what your donations pay for:
- £1 – a kilo of bran
- £8 – a monthly hoof trim!
- £20 – an insulated winter coat
- £30 – a month’s fuel supply for the sanctuary
- £50 – a month’s water supply
- £80 – a month’s hay supply (tasty if you’re an equine!)
The charity also has a sanctuary for dogs and cats in Afghanistan, where local people can find free advice and vet care. Plus vaccinations and spaying/neutering services (important to prevent over-population, which often leads to pets living on the streets).
The veterinary team also humanely capture and peacefully put to sleep any local dogs with rabies (presently no cure) so they are not killed by others, in less humane ways.
Nowzad is also working closely with heroic volunteers at animal shelters in Ukraine, which have obviously seen a huge uptake in residents, since the invasion a few years ago.
Help to Save the Afghanistan Shelter
Recently (due to road construction and building high-rise buildings in Kabul, others have decided to bulldoze the Nowzad sanctuaries. So the charity is urgently raising funds to rent new land and build a new stable sanctuary, to continue its vital work. It also has to safely move each resident to the new sanctuary.
The charity needs to raise £100K, to be safe. Together, we can do it!
Easy ways to Support Nowzad Charity
- Set up a Charity Giving Account (can also be done for businesses). This allows you to regularly donate to your favourite charities, with gift aid taken care of. And you can tick the box to remain anonymous, if wished.
- easyfundraising is a no-brainer. Choose Nowzad as your nominated charity. Then anytime you buy a product or service from participating companies (small brands to Amazon to services), a portion of what you pay (at no cost to you) is donated to the charity.
- Leave a legacy in your Will, to help animals after you’ve gone.
- Donate your scrap car. If you have an old banger you never use, you can donate this (including in the USA) and the scrap metal money goes to Nowzad.
- For special occasions, save a tree and send an e-card instead, and profits help Nowzad.
- If you live in Bideford (Devon), the charity has its own retail store selling second-hand goods, to raise much-needed funds.
- Instead of a red paper poppy (plastic ones are now banned), consider buying a purple metal pin poppy, to remember animals that have lost their lives in wars.
- The Nowzad trolley coin fits into any supermarket shopping trolley, enabling you to not bother fiddling around looking for a £1 coin, each time you visit the shops. Your purchase supports the charity, and also advertises it to others, thanks to the logo on the metal coin.
War Paws also provides resources and rescue for animals in war zones.
Helping Donkeys in the Middle East
Safe Haven for Donkeys helps donkeys living on the border in the Middle East, obviously something of extreme concern at present. Donkeys and horses are the main form of transport for many, and often worked on little food or rest. Read more on helping donkey friends.
This charity has just set up a project in Egypt to help donkeys who work in intense heat to move bricks to kilns (used to build houses). Many have untreated wounds, fly infestations and overgrown hooves. The animals are treated both on-site and at mobile clinics.
Although playing lotteries is not the best way to live life, playing their Weather Lottery (instead of the national one) is good to earn them extra funds.
You can also scrap your old car, and monies raised from metal will benefit this wonderful cause. Lucy’s UK Donkey Foundation also gives grants, to help working animals in the Holy Land.
How to Help Animals in Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has also affected many animals, not just humans. 25% of profits from this print by Red and Howling are donated to animal rescue causes worldwide.
Good Good Good is an American newspaper with a super post on how we can help (the end of the post includes animal shelters to help).
