Ukrainian pets offered free vaccinations so they don't bring rabies to NL

Multiple animal organizations teamed up to launch the initiative Help for Animals from Ukraine. In addition to shelter for Ukrainian pets whose families can't care for them right now, the organizations are offering free vaccinations and chips for these animals. Ukrainian vaccination standards aren't as strict as in the Netherlands, and the organizations want to prevent rabies from reappearing in the country, Hart van Nederland reports.

The government temporarily relaxed the rules for animals coming from Ukraine last week. "It is important that the asylum seekers can be helped and that they can bring their pets with them. But it is also necessary to look at how best to help those animals and their people," Niels Kalkman of the Animal Protection Agency said to the program.

Ukrainians who register at the site will be helped free of charge, Kalkman said. It is not yet clear who will cover the costs, but the organizations' primary focus is to help asylum seekers and their pets as quickly as possible. "We set up this initiative with a lot of organizations. They contribute some money, there will be a donation button, and you will have a vet here or there who will give support. This is a crisis that affects everyone, and we all have to bear it together."