Retired police dog handler Nigel Allsopp has amassed nearly $1million in donations which will help tens of thousands of animals impacted by the war in the Ukraine.

Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation (AWAMO) founder and president Nigel Allsopp will accompany a shipping container filled with food, medication, winter supplies, and microchipping equipment to distribute in the Ukraine this week.

Toowoomba man Peter Kotzur, who is the AWAMO vice president, travelled with Mr Allsopp to the Ukraine last year to deliver their first shipping container filled with essential animal supplies.

The pair visited several animal shelters and zoos to see where help was most needed and started fundraising to fill their second shipping container as soon as they returned. 

“We have 200 horse rugs that we will take to farms near Odesa (southern Ukraine) which were decimated by flooding when the Russians blew up the Kakhovka dam,” Mr Allsopp said.

“Many farms still use working horses and with winter approaching, their barns have been destroyed and many animals are without shelter,” he said.

“The horse rugs will also be used to keep dairy cows warm as it starts snowing in November.”

Thousands of people were displaced by flooding from one of the world’s largest reservoirs when the Kakhovka dam was destroyed in June.

The local farmland, which is considered the “breadbasket of Europe”, was washed away and landmines have been dislodged by the floodwaters. 

In February 2022, under intense bombing, millions of Ukrainian families grabbed what they could carry and fled their homes to Poland and other neighbouring countries.

Many were forced to leave their beloved pets behind.

Mr Allsopp has secured more than $20,000 worth of donations from Microchips Australia including implanters, readers and thousands of microchips. 

“I will be training Ukraine vet nurses to microchip animals and Microchips Australia have also designed a microchipping computer program specifically for the Ukraine,” Mr Allsopp said.

“When the conflict is over, pet owners will be able to search for their lost pets on a website and hopefully be reunited,” he said.

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki MP said he was in awe of Mr Allsopp and his small volunteer group’s fundraising efforts.

“Nigel is a truly remarkable person and his compassion for animals is inspiring,” Mr Janetzki said.

“He is a reminder of the power of one man. He has raised more than $1.3million to help animals suffering since Russia’s invasion last year,” he said.

“Animals are an extension of their families, and it is heartening to see Nigel and the AWAMO help tens of thousands of people through their animals in the Ukraine.”

Mr Janetzki has been helping Mr Allsopp to lobby the state government for a donation of a decommissioned ambulance van which AWAMO will convert to an animal ambulance/mobile vet surgery.

“Once all the donated food has been eaten, the medicine administered, the supplies used – this animal ambulance would be a lasting legacy of Queensland’s aid in the Ukraine,” Mr Janetzki said.

Donations can be made towards AWAMO’s Ukraine animal project by visiting: www.gofundme.com/f/awamos-ukraine-animal-project

The AWAMO would like to give special thanks to EZY Dog, Petstock, Petspiration Group, Microchips Australia, and many RSLs for their generous donations.Australian War Animal Memorial Organisation (AWAMO) founder and president Nigel Allsopp will accompany a shipping container filled with food, medication, winter supplies, and microchipping equipment to distribute in the Ukraine this week.

Toowoomba man Peter Kotzur, who is the AWAMO vice president, travelled with Mr Allsopp to the Ukraine last year to deliver their first shipping container filled with essential animal supplies.

The pair visited several animal shelters and zoos to see where help was most needed and started fundraising to fill their second shipping container as soon as they returned.

“We have 200 horse rugs that we will take to farms near Odesa (southern Ukraine) which were decimated by flooding when the Russians blew up the Kakhovka dam,” Mr Allsopp said.

“Many farms still use working horses and with winter approaching, their barns have been destroyed and many animals are without shelter,” he said.

“The horse rugs will also be used to keep dairy cows warm as it starts snowing in November.”

Thousands of people were displaced by flooding from one of the world’s largest reservoirs when the Kakhovka dam was destroyed in June.

The local farmland, which is considered the “breadbasket of Europe”, was washed away and landmines have been dislodged by the floodwaters.

In February 2022, under intense bombing, millions of Ukrainian families grabbed what they could carry and fled their homes to Poland and other neighbouring countries.

Many were forced to leave their beloved pets behind.

Mr Allsopp has secured more than $20,000 worth of donations from Microchips Australia including implanters, readers and thousands of microchips. 

“I will be training Ukraine vet nurses to microchip animals and Microchips Australia have also designed a microchipping computer program specifically for the Ukraine,” Mr Allsopp said.

“When the conflict is over, pet owners will be able to search for their lost pets on a website and hopefully be reunited,” he said.

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki MP said he was in awe of Mr Allsopp and his small volunteer group’s fundraising efforts. 

“Nigel is a truly remarkable person and his compassion for animals is inspiring,” Mr Janetzki said.

“He is a reminder of the power of one man. He has raised more than $1.3million to help animals suffering since Russia’s invasion last year,” he said.

“Animals are an extension of their families, and it is heartening to see Nigel and the AWAMO help tens of thousands of people through their animals in the Ukraine.”

Mr Janetzki has been helping Mr Allsopp to lobby the state government for a donation of a decommissioned ambulance van which AWAMO will convert to an animal ambulance/mobile vet surgery.

“Once all the donated food has been eaten, the medicine administered, the supplies used – this animal ambulance would be a lasting legacy of Queensland’s aid in the Ukraine,” Mr Janetzki said.

Donations can be made towards AWAMO’s Ukraine animal project by visiting: www.gofundme.com/f/awamos-ukraine-animal-project

The AWAMO would like to give special thanks to EZY Dog, Petstock, Petspiration Group, Microchips Australia, and many RSLs for their generous donations.