A man and his dog at the reception center in Medyka on the Polish Ukrainian Border.
Milos Bicanski / We Animals Media

The images from the war in Ukraine are heartbreaking. As Russia’s repugnant attack continues, millions of desperate Ukrainians are fleeing to neighboring countries. Yet despite the terror, perils and unknowns, thousands of refugees are refusing to abandon their companion animals: dogs, cats, hamsters, birds. Even children are ensuring their safe passage.

Our contributors Andrew Skowron, Miloš Bičanski and Thomas Machowicz are at the Polish border or in Ukraine, capturing how these determined guardians refuse to leave their animals behind, and what Thomas calls the "animal rescue pipeline." It’s a sober reminder of the bravery and compassion of war victims, and the impacts war has not only on us, but animals also.

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Trafficked Cows with Christian Faesecke

Two men waterboard a cow who, despite beatings, has collapsed from exhaustion at the cattle market in Bagachra, Bangladesh. Christian Faesecke / We Animals Media

Where does leather come from? The label may offer a country’s name, but what’s the story behind that single label?

Our contributor Christian Faesecke documents how cows – who are considered holy – are trafficked from India to Bangladesh where they are killed for leather. Answering where leather comes from is a complex, international story across a 4,000km border. It's not a byproduct of meat production, but an industry unto itself.

See where leather comes from

Fashion without Cows

Making use of our visuals, NowThis shows us the animal-free fashion designs that can turn heads without harming animals.

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Discarded Hunters with Ana Palacios

Claire Aubert, general coordinator at Scooby, checks each of the 50 dogs that just arrived, rescued from the Andalucía region 500km away. Ana Palacios / We Animals Media

In Spain greyhounds, called galgos, are often used for hunting. At the end of the season hunters typically kill or abandon them.

Our contributor Ana Palacios has documented the efforts at the Scooby shelter in northwestern Spain to rescue these working dogs and find them good homes. They vaccinate, deworm and sterilize these greyhounds before adopting them out. Hunting is a tragedy not only for the animals hunted, but for the dogs used and then discarded for the sake of a season.

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Help Us Tell Stories from the Field

An aerial view of buyers and sellers at the cattle market of Bagachra, one of the largest cattle markets in southwest Bangladesh. Christian Faesecke / We Animals Media

Ukraine, Poland, Spain, India, Bangladesh – we document animal issues everywhere. These visuals are free for advocates to use in their work, helping to grab attention, raise awareness, and inspire change. With your help we can continue to bring visibility to animals not just in one country or one continent, but everywhere they face abuses.

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In Case You Missed It: America's Dairy

Activist Jason Bolalek gets a curious lick from a cow. Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media

Last month Jo-Anne met with Jason Bolalek (@destinationliberation), who rescues male dairy calves from their grim reality: not worth the money to raise, they are often shot shortly after birth. For the dairy calves who are raised, Jo-Anne documented miserable conditions, including calves and cows chained by their necks during entire winters.

Learn more and use the visuals of America's dairy

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A man and his dog at the reception center in Medyka on the Polish Ukrainian Border. Milos Bicanski / We Animals Media