“We will fight until the Victory”, – Director of the Ukrainian Veterinary Medicine Foundation Olena Rudneva

Olena Rudneva, director of the Ukrainian Veterinary Medicine Foundation, has been taking care of animals for almost a year now, helping the veterinary community, looking for opportunities and personally going where she is needed. From shelters in Chornobaivka and Kherson to stray animals in Irpin, Mykolaiv, Kryvyi Rih, and Odesa.

Wearing an embroidered shirt in search of partners and donors at an international congress in Lviv, and wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet with medicine and food in the frontline regions – you can find her anywhere.

Today, the projects of the foundation she heads include programs for sterilization, treatment, and rescue of animals, provision of feed, training of veterinarians, assistance to colleagues, and opening of charity clinics.

“The idea of creating a charity veterinary clinic has existed since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of our country. This is one of the main projects of our foundation. It became real thanks to the support of the international charity foundation FOUR PAWS. Veterinary services: treatment, vaccination, sterilization, and antiparasitic treatment are provided completely free of charge to the public, for those who really need help. This project is very important for Ukraine, especially in these difficult times. It is not only about the health of animals, but also about the psychological health of owners”.

Despite the fact that her friends and family are calling her to peaceful Germany and Spain, she remains under fire in her native Odesa.

“I stay in Odesa, I stay in Ukraine, because this is my home. My roots are here. It is important for my children to understand who they are. We will stay here, we will work here, study here, live here, fight here and go to victory here,” says Olena Rudneva.

Olena Rudnieva sincerely believes in Ukraine’s victory because she wants her sons to live on the native land for which her husband Oleksandr gave his life. They were happily married for 20 years.

“My husband Oleksandr volunteered in July 2023. He believed that he could personally change something and overcome this evil. He was killed on October 23, 2023, while performing a combat mission.”

Olena’s job helped her cope with the pain. Rescuing defenseless and stray animals, thinking of ways to help them, finding food, medicine, and more.

It was the unconditional love of these four-legged, tailed and direct animals that added bright colors to her everyday life. And recently, during a visit to the shelter, she left with Lyalya, a four-legged dog.

Now Lyalya has a home and a real family. But there are many people in need of help in Ukraine today. So Lena does not give up: she is looking for opportunities to help, save, and protect. Because she knows from her own experience that every life is priceless, and every life is worth fighting for!