An SA man who has spent more than two weeks on a unique rescue mission in war-torn Ukraine says the conditions in which thousands of abandoned animals find themselves are heart-wrenching.
Marc Ward of the Have a Heart Equine Sanctuary, a Bonnievale, Western Cape-based non-profit organisation that cares for horses and farm animals, arrived in Ukraine on March 25 to help animals left to fend for themselves by their owners since the Russian invasion.
Through his interventions, Ward has organised medical supplies, water, blankets, animal food, fuel and dog food for the rescued animals, many of which were starving to death.
“Have a Heart is my life — I wake up every day with determination to help,” he said, speaking telephonically from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, from where he carries out his rescue missions.
“Lots of people have asked why I would risk my life for animals in another country.
“It’s the South African in me, I cannot look away when I know that I can be of help.”
Since his arrival, Ward and his wife, Vicky, who remained in SA, have chronicled his perilous travels in Ukraine for the 10,391 followers on his Facebook page.
“Some animals we have found have not had food in over 30 days,” Ward said.
He said he had only been able to help the thousands of animals through generous funding received from donations and Network for Animals, an organisation against animal cruelty representing nearly a million supporters in the US and globally.
“Without donations from people supporting our page, I would not have been able to come and be here.
“I have made a new friend in Romania, who has helped me with driving around [and] the mapping of animals that are in need.
“The very first day I arrived here, I helped 140 horses get food, the next day we helped over 240 horses with food.
“But the situation is bad in the country — in a Borodyanka shelter the owner locked the gates and fled, leaving almost 500 trapped animals to starve to death.”
Borodyanka is a town of 12,000 people 40km northwest of Kyiv, which has suffered some of the worst destruction since Russia’s President Vladimir Putin authorised the invasion of Ukraine on February 23.
While speaking to The Herald on the phone, Ward was stopped by what he described as heavily armed Ukrainian men.
He could be heard telling the men that he spoke English.
“Do you have guns?,” a man asks in Ukrainian.
Ward responds: “No guns, animal rescue” and the armed men continued on their way.
“That happens to us every 4km or so,” Ward said.
“It’s intense, there are massive roadblocks everywhere.
“It’s different when you watch this on TV and when you experience it live.
“One minute things are fine, the next you get air raid alerts on your phone telling you to take cover.”
Ward said he would be returning to SA soon, adding that the trip had been emotionally draining.
He pleaded for more people to donate towards the animal rescue missions via the account details on the Have a Heart Equine Sanctuary page.
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