Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/300-shelter-dogs-die-ukraine/

Millions of people and pets have fled since Russia invaded Ukraine, leaving everything they know behind.

But these dangerous journeys are still safer than staying behind in Ukraine, where reports of Russian atrocities grow by the day. Take, for example, the tragic reports of more than 300 shelter dogs who starved to death in their cages without anybody to feed them.

Charity workers discovered the tragic scene on April 1, when Russian troops finally evacuated the city of Borodyakna, which they’d held since Russia’s invasion began on February 24.

But when UAnimals was finally able to check on the hundreds of dogs who had been trapped in the animal shelter during the occupation, they discovered a grisly scene.

“A few days ago, we were shocked by the terrible news,” wrote UAnimals, which posted about the devasting news on Facebook. “They all died of hunger and thirst.”

According to the charity, the shelter’s 485 dogs were locked in their cages when Russian troops invaded and occupied the city, preventing shelter workers from visiting the animals.

It wasn’t until Russian troops finally evacuated Borodyakna on April 1 that rescuers were able to check on the shelter dogs.

But by that point, more than 300 shelter dogs had starved to death in their cages. “They died a terrible death without food and water, locked in their cells,” heartbroken charity workers posted on Facebook.

Another 150 dogs were in critical condition, but they were in such bad shape that some dogs died in volunteers’ arms on the way to the clinic.

Now UAnimals is hoping to spread the word about this heartbreaking example of animal cruelty at the hands of Russian troops, who subjected these innocent shelter dogs to a cruel and painful death.

I have no words. Russians even killed dozens of dogs in Kyiv region. WHY??#RussiansWarCrimes pic.twitter.com/tvotxGUThs

— Oleksandra Matviichuk (@avalaina) April 3, 2022

“The person who should take care of every four-legged shelter [dog] left them to die in agony,” UAnimals posted on Facebook.

Sadly, these unlucky shelter pups are just a fraction of the Ukrainian animals at risk of starvation as pet food and shelter supplies run low in Ukraine.

This growing crisis has inspired Greater Good Charities, which is already conducting relief efforts on the ground in Ukraine, to establish a distribution network to move large quantities of pet food directly to Ukrainian people and animals.

Your life-saving gift will help us provide pet food directly to the shelters and shelter pets who need it most, thus helping hungry animals survive this heartbreaking crisis. Please make a donation today.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog