The RATS Family stands with the animals of Ukraine

On Monday 21st March, Herts County Councillor Jeff Jones and a team of volunteers drove the Buntingford Community Bus to the Ukraine/Poland border to deliver humanitarian aid.

We were delighted that they were able to make some space on the bus to also deliver much-needed supplies to the Ukrainian animals, which RATS co-ordinated. Space on the bus was very tight, however we were able to take donations of tinned pet food, bags of treats and biscuits, collars, leads, harnesses and coats. The donations were going straight to the pets of those who had managed to flee Ukraine as well as to the rescue centres, who are overrun with abandoned Ukranian animals.

Donations were dropped off at our kennels on Saturday 19th March, and we were absolutely overwhelmed to see the sheer number of people who turned up, their cars filled with supplies, and their hearts filled with love and kindness. We had a queue to get in!

Jeff and his team took the supplies to an animal shelter on the border, and everything was loaded straight onto a lorry going to Ukraine the next morning. The same bus was then bringing animals back from Ukraine to Poland.

Their tales of the plight of the refugees, and the work of the animal charities, were heart-breaking to hear. There is SO much which needs to be done to help these poor people and their pets, however thanks to the support of the RATS Family, we were able to make a small difference.

Funding has been secured for another three aid runs, and we already have plenty of supplies waiting to go.

For those who weren’t able to donate supplies, but would still like to help, we are also running a fundraiser, with ALL funds raised going straight from RATS to the shelters in Ukraine (and the surrounding countries who have been taking in abandoned Ukrainian pets).

Donations can be made via our dedicated Ukraine Wonderful.org fundraising page here: https://wonderful.org/fundraisers/494

OR donations by credit/debit card can be made via our Givey page: https://www.givey.com/donations/new?charity_id=11221 Please make sure to reference Ukraine in the message section if you are using Givey.

Thank you to everyone who donated supplies, and helped to coordinate the initiative. And the biggest thank you to Jeff and the team. We are so grateful to you for helping us to help the animals of Ukraine.