In the Poltava region, a family from Kharkiv has created a shelter for over 150 animals, mostly evacuated from the combat zone. Here, dogs, cats, goats, horses, calves, and even a raccoon have not only found a roof over their heads but also receive daily care and love, agronews.ua reports.
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The “Animal Rescue Home” appeared in the village of Kustolovi Kushchi in the Poltava region in 2023. The head of the shelter, Anastasiia Klimniuk, registered a public organization and since then officially saves those who cannot take care of themselves.
The shelter is maintained by four people – Anastasiia, her husband, mother, and daughter. All the animals are under their care. The team dreams of building a separate house for cats and a veterinary office.
“We started to rescue animals that were left in basements, apartments, and on the streets. We delivered food, took in abandoned dogs and cats, and when there were too many of them – we realized it was time to find a safe place for everyone,” Anastasiia Klimniuk shares.
Not only dogs and cats live here, but also horses, goats, calves, a raccoon, and even a wild boar. The oldest horse is 30 years old. It was evacuated twice from the war: first from Luhansk region in 2014, and then from Kharkiv.
The shelter staff says that most animals arrive scared, wild, and distrustful of people. “But time and love work wonders,” smiles the hostess.
The shelter accepts help – from those willing to adopt an animal to those who can send food, medicine, or contribute financially. Every bit of help is a chance for another abandoned animal to have a dignified life.
However, for Anastasiia Klimniuk, it is important that the animals have a chance for a family.
“We send them all over Ukraine. To Chernivtsi, Kyiv, and villages. The only condition is to show where the animal will go. It can be just a video. Because for us, they are like children. We want to be at peace.”
This year, the head of the “Animal Rescue Home,” Anastasiia Klimniuk, was recognized at the national level. She became the laureate of the All-Ukrainian Zooprotective Award-2025 from the organization “UAnimals” – an award presented annually to volunteers, military personnel, and environmentalists for their contribution to environmental conservation and assistance to animals in Ukraine.