I know this doesn’t fall into my usual playful (and downright hilarious) posts — but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be discussed. When I started this blog, I knew I wanted to talk about things I like AND the things that matter. So no, we’re not diving into some A-list celebrity’s red carpet look or which big couple is calling it splits… this week, we are exploring how the media pays no attention to the animals that suffer in war.
This idea first struck me when I watched HBO’s limited-series Chernobyl. It’s a great show, based on real events — it’s a 10/10… so yes I highly recommend. In one of the episodes, we see the empty city of Chernobyl, Ukraine with an infiltrating fog in the air. And though it looks like a Call of Duty map, there at the bottom of the screen appears a pack of dogs. Later on, some man in charge (forgive me, I don’t remember names) orders for all pets left behind to be rounded up… and shot. If you’re unaware, Chernobyl is referring to a Ukrainian nuclear power plant explosion in 1986 that leaked large amounts of radiation. Hopefully, it goes without saying — if a power plant leaks radiation into your town, you leave immediately. But here’s the thing — in 1986, families packed up their lives and fled, often leaving behind their beloved dogs, cats, rabbits, or whatever pet they had. I can’t even imagine being in danger and not thinking about the safety of my pets. I believe I would risk my own life for theirs. Now I know there’s an important reason regarding the concern for animals living in the radiation — if they procreate, it can lead to long lines of genetic mutations.
Fast forward to today, Ukraine has been at war with Russia since 2014 after Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, when Russia occupied and annexed Crimea from Ukraine. According to PBS, this was considered an illegal seizure of Ukrainian territory — and it’s one of the key reasons the war continues today. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine when President Vladimir Putin stated that the country needs to “return to Russia’s influence.” He also claimed that modern Ukraine is a Nazi state and declared that his goal was to "demilitarise and denazify" Ukraine, according to BBC. Putin has long stated that Ukrainians and Russians were ‘one people’ decades ago. However, Ukrainian culture has been independent of Russia for centuries.
Here’s the thing… I’m not trying to be biased. There are many facts and tons of history that I do not yet know, but I’m learning and that’s the most important part. As millions before us have said, if we don’t know the history of our world, then we are going to keep repeating the same terrors. I’m not crazy to believe that we are already repeating those mistakes. But as we grow older, I’m also not crazy to think that we can change the world. We don’t have to live like this.
You know who doesn’t get a choice in any of this? Animals. Innocent animals. And yes, I am including the ones that I wouldn’t touch with a 10 foot pole. What we do or don’t do directly impacts the way animals live. We’ve seen videos of thin polar bears trying to stay cold when our world is heating up. We’ve read about endangered animals like Asian elephants, sea otters, and chimpanzees. We’ve heard about those that are vulnerable, such as great white sharks, marine iguanas, and snow leopards. And I’ve heard thousands of teenage girls exclaim to “Save the Bees!” on social media. It’s clear that the animals of the world are suffering, and we see it all through the media. But what about those that are in countries at war? Cricket noises.
A quick search for “animals in war” mostly brings up stories of service animals — heroic dogs, medal-winning horses, elephants used in the military. But almost nothing discusses the animals simply caught in the chaos — the ones starving, injured, or abandoned. Sure, many animals can sense danger before we can — but what good is that if they have nowhere to hide? They can’t read evacuation orders or catch a bus to Poland. They’re trapped, often alone, as sirens wail through cities.
Only one article discussed the threats these animals face and how we can help. EcoWatch dives into how pets, farm, and wildlife animals are endangered every day in Ukraine — facing threats of bombs, hunger, and constant stress. Their homes and ecosystems have been ripped to shreds. Like in Chernobyl, most of these animals were abandoned — either because shelters wouldn’t allow them, or because their owners simply couldn’t care for both themselves and their pets.
EcoWatch also talks of an anthology film titled Animals in War, directed by Myroslav Slaboshpitskiy. The film, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, shows how animals in Ukraine are affected by the war. On Tribeca’s website, the film description reads “Featuring a white rabbit, a wolf, a cow and other animals as central figures of each story, the film employs a range of artistic styles to explore the war’s often overlooked ecological impact.” This goes to show that it’s not just some random thought that I’m spiraling over. This is a real issue, and one that is rarely brought up. We should pay special attention to the fact that this film is not widely accessible. So far, it has only been featured at film festivals hosted by supportive organizations such as Razom (together) for Ukraine. Otherwise, it’s only available to watch on MUBI, a British streaming platform (shoutout to those who use this I guess…), so good luck finding it.
The neglect of all types of animals in countries at war is heartbreaking. But it’s equally as heartbreaking to see little to no media coverage on this topic. With the lack of support for these living creatures, there’s a heavy amount of environmental devastation happening. Not just because they were left behind, but also because it’s our species that is causing the devastation to occur. If the suffering of innocent animals isn’t reason enough to care, consider this: when ecosystems collapse, so do we. If an ecosystem is destroyed, then biodiversity losses begin, which impacts the local climate. Continuing down the chain, great effects like soil erosion, flooding, and disrupted food chains will occur too when animals are endangered or extinct.
I want to make it clear that I care about innocent humans as well as the animals. All types of lives are lost every single day, from senseless crimes to military invasions, and it won’t stop until we can reach global peace. But peace is hard to achieve when selfish people keep climbing to the top of the power ladder. We have a long, gut wrenching future ahead of us, but the best thing we can do now is force the media to talk about these issues. We may not be able to rely on the media for all our information — but we can push the conversation forward. News organizations now pull stories from social media, which means every post, like, comment, and share is impactful. And it’s not just Ukraine. Animals — and people — suffer in every war zone: from Gaza to Sudan, Syria to Yemen, and beyond. This is a global crisis, not an isolated one. If this matters to you too, then talk about it. Post about it. Donate to local animal rescue groups in war-torn areas. Share resources. Support documentaries like Animals in War. The media follows what people care about — and it’s on us to show them what that is.
Written by Emily Fadako
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