Susquehanna SPCA Rallies To Help War-Torn Pets In Ukraine

The Susquehanna SPCA (SQSPCA) serving Otsego County and beyond has really gone above and beyond to give a financial helping hand to relief efforts in war-ravaged Ukraine involving assisting animals, their owners, and animal shelters.

When news reached SQSPCA Executive Director Stacie Haynes of volunteers in Ukraine, trying to deliver food to an animal shelter in Busha Ukraine being shot and killed by Russian militants, she knew she wanted to help. Haynes reached out to the shelter's supporters to ask for donations to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) which helps animals separated from their owners. The shelter was happy to announce that they were able to start the fundraising with a $2,500 dollar-for-dollar match to kick things off. Haynes announced in a release that the SQSPCA has raised $11, 081 which will save the lives of animals in Ukraine.

Responding to the generous donation from the shelter, Shannon Walajtys, who is IFAW’s Director of Disaster Response and Risk Reduction and currently working from Poland to support the organization's efforts to help animals and people told Haynes, “The fact that so many care gives us hope. These shelters (in Ukraine) need our support now more than ever as, all too often, animals are the voiceless victims of conflict. My team and I have deployed to Poland and will continue to work with government authorities and local shelters to help provide much-needed relief."

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It's not surprising that the Susquehanna SPCA became involved in helping animals in Ukraine since they have been helping other animals from well outside of Otsego County's borders for a while now. SQSPCA has partnerships with certain shelters in other parts of the United States and takes in animals when possible when these other shelters get over-filled and can't take more animals in. Once again, a job well done by Haynes and her staff on their fundraising efforts for this very worthy cause!