Winter in Ukraine is cold and long. Temperatures dip well below freezing, making it dangerous for animals who do not have a home or proper shelter.

We asked for your help to provide warm outdoor kennels to homeless dogs in Ukraine, and you stepped up in a big way. We want to thank you for your continued support and share with you how your donations are improving the lives of dogs and the people that care for them.

https://youtube.com/shorts/_jO98yFii10

Greater Good Charities (GGC) worked with United For Animals (UFA) to deliver over a hundred insulated dog houses to 22 shelters across Ukraine. More than 200 kennels are being put to good use by homeless dogs in Ukraine.

Impact on Shelter Dogs

Photo: United for Animals

A homeless puppy named Barney is resting comfortably in one of the dog houses after being rescued by determined children in Borodyanka. The shelter shared the story with us.

"The mother of the puppies - a huge red wild dog gave birth to them away from people, in a field near the track. When the puppies grew up and became interested in the world around them, they regularly started playing in the middle of the road by themselves. During the week, they were miraculously bypassed by trucks and gasoline trucks. When the young volunteers of Borodyanka were leaving the school, they saw this terrible picture and without a moment's hesitation ran to save the dogs. But not everything worked the first time. The red-haired mother of the puppies, protecting them, attacked the schoolchildren and hid them from people for several days. But the volunteers did not give up and thanks to the support of GGC, they started feeding the mother and puppies. Treats and delicious food melted the wild dog's heart, and she may have trusted people for the first time. Thus, the two puppies were safe, and after a few days they settled in the shelter of NGO VARTI shelter. Where a huge warm hut, a spacious aviary and delicious food were waiting for them All this would not have been possible without the support and help of UFA and GGC."

Photo: United for Animals

Another dog who will survive the winter in her new kennel is Alya. She has overcome sickness after being found alone on the street and is beyond grateful for the warm place to rest.

Impact on People Caring for the Animals

In addition to saving the lives of dogs, the kennels will help people like Lyudmila Yakovets who spends her days caring for all the abandoned and homeless animals. GGC team member Boris Pomroy shared her story with us.

Photo: United for Animals

"Lyudmila Yakovets is known, probably, by the whole of Kramatorsk for her kind heart. Fragile and small, but such a strong and tireless volunteer. Her apartment has long since become a mini shelter, where more than 25 cats and several dogs live. In addition, every day Lyuda feeds all the homeless who are waiting for her on the street. She will never pass by someone else's trouble, will always help despite all the difficulties, even when it seems that the situation is hopeless. The world rests on such people, on their fragile shoulders they carry the heaviest cross of helping others, often forgetting about themselves."

She is one of several volunteers who go above and beyond to care for animals. They are our heroes and Pomroy said it perfectly, "Thank you that, despite all the troubles of the war, you do not leave those who have it even harder, those who do not know how to ask and always wait for people's help."

Another selfless person who is an inspiration to us all is Inna Nesterova and her daughter. They spend their days feeding, caring, and loving hundreds of homeless dogs and cats. UFA shared how she bought land and built an animal shelter in Odesa to save the abandoned, injured, starving, and neglected animals.

Photo: United for Animals

"Now more than 90 dogs and 20 cats live in the shelter, and more than 300 animals are under the care of Inna and her daughter, they go out every day to feed homeless dogs and cats that survive on the roadsides, in the fields, in the suburbs of Odessa. Inna selflessly dedicates all her strength, all her warmth and love to helping the most defenseless, useless animals who have suffered from war and human cruelty. In such a difficult time, Inna Nesterova's shelter needs support with food, canned goods, dog houses.

Check out the video below to see how happy your donations have made shelter dogs. Their tails never stop wagging as they inspect their new dog houses and devour the nutritious food.

@greatergoodcharities You can make the holidays a little brighter for shelter pets in need this season - donate now at the link in bio. #petlover #holidays #giftideas ♬ original sound - Greater Good Charities

This wouldn't have been possible without your support, so thank you!

However, the need is still great, so please consider donating to help feed and provide shelter for these innocent animals. Together we CAN change the world!