Fleet animal charity helps starving cats and dogs left behind in Ukraine

• ITV News Meridian's Kara Digby spoke to the charity's co-founders about the trauma dogs and cats in Ukraine have experienced

An animal charity in Hampshire says that without donations from the British public, dogs and cats that have been left behind in Ukraine because of the war would starve.

With supplies running low and shelters overwhelmed in the country, Fleet-based charity DogsnHomes Rescue has been doing its bit to help.

Each month volunteers drive to the border to deliver vital supplies, including pet food, beds, blankets and medicine.

It is then picked up by local charities and distributed to the animals most in need.

Michelle Ballard, Co-founder, says that without the kindness of the British public who have donated, the outcome would be a lot worse.

"They would die. They have been dying. Some of them have gone into shelters and some of the dogs have died of starvation. They're so desperate and if we can help we will."

Gary Baxter, Co-founder, DogsnHomes Rescue, said: "I see that they are suffering and I just see there is a need.

"We're meeting some volunteers that are coming up from Kharkiv, that's a 1200km journey.

"It's going to take them a day, day and half to travel, just to get dog and cat food. So that's how desperate they are for it.

The next trip the charity is making to the Ukrainian border is on Sunday, May 8.

Many Ukrainians have had to make the heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to their pets, leaving them at shelters.

Others have decided to stay and try to feed their own cats and dogs.

Gary said: "There's people that have abandoned pets, and then you tend to find that there are people that are then going along and picking up these pets from the bus stops and the train stations, taking them to somewhere where they can care for them."

The charity says if they can help keep the animals who have been left behind alive, they could one day be reunited with their owners.

Gary added: "What we're most in need of at the moment is medication, particularly flea and tick treatment, and also calming aids.

"As you can imagine, cats and dogs have been traumatised by the events out there so we really do need some calming aids. That would be really helpful."

The charity has set up a fundraising page for its trips to Ukraine.