Joliet animal hospital helping displaced pets in Ukraine

Come out to a Joliet brewery Saturday night and help animals displaced by the war in Ukraine.

Essington Road Animal Hospital in Joliet is hosting “Benefit for the Animals of Ukraine” from 5 to 8 p.m. at Elder Brewing Co., 218 E. Cass St. in Joliet.

The fundraiser will include raffle baskets, food and other items for sale. Proceeds benefit Kyiv Animal Rescue.

Dr. Adam M. Abou-Youssef, owner of Essington Road Animal Hospital, said one of his technicians suggested the fundraiser last year.

“But we got busy and just could not make it happen,” Abou-Youssef said. “We’re hitting the one-year mark of the war and realizing this thing needs to get done.”

Abou-Youssef said he knew the owners at Elder Brewing and knew they love to host events.

“They need help,” Abou-Youssef said of the pets and other animals in Ukraine. “So it seemed a natural fit for the whole idea of trying to raise some funds.”

According to the Ukraine War Animals Relief Fund, “millions of animals are abandoned, wandering the streets, searching for food and unsterilized,” and that rabies and lack of sterilization is a real concern.

“So you have these animals going to puddle to puddle trying to find water, looking for any food they can get,”

—  Dr. Adam M. Abou-Youssef, owner of Essington Road Animal Hospital

The Humane Society International said its animal rescue team and country office staff have helped Ukrainian refugees and their pets by providing funding, supplies and veterinary care.

More recently, according to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals foundation’s UK-based charity, its teams recently rescued “nearly 300 traumatized dogs, cats, chickens and other animals from the deadly flooding in Ukraine.”

Abou-Youssef said he wants to do anything he can to help.

“It’s hard seeing these animals. They’ve had a hard life,” Abou-Youssef said. “Things in Ukraine were on the up and up, and then everything got obliterated with the war. So much of that infrastructure got trashed.”

Helping animals in need works differently in the U.S. For instance, when animal rescues in certain areas need assistance, volunteers from other animal rescues step in and transport animals to those groups that can help, he said.

“Whole networks of people get animals the care they need.” Abou-Youssef said.

In Ukraine, however, those networks don’t exist because whole towns in the country are simply gone, Abou-Youssef said.

“So you have these animals going to puddle to puddle trying to find water, looking for any food they can get,” Abou-Youssef said.

Admission is free for “Benefit for the Animals of Ukraine” although Abou-Youssef said he might set out a donation bucket. Photos of the raffle prizes are posted on facebook.com/EssingtonRoadAnimalHospital.

“We’ve got some pretty nice prizes set up,” Abou-Youssef said. “For 10 bucks here and 10 bucks there, you have a chance to take home some pretty nice things for not a lot of money.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: “Benefit for the Animals of Ukraine”

WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Elder Brewing Co., 218 E. Cass St. in Joliet.

ETC: The event will include raffle baskets, food, and other items for sale. Proceeds benefit Kyiv Animal Rescue

INFO: Visit facebook.com/EssingtonRoadAnimalHospital.