Suffolk animal therapy farm Wilderley is appealing to the equestrian community and animal lovers everywhere for urgent funding to help evacuate injured and at-risk horses in the Ukranian city of Kharkiv, which is currently under siege.
Wilderley is coordinating the campaign to save the horses with Dergachev Children’s and Youth Equestrian School of the Kharkiv’s State Biotechnological University (formerly the Kharkiv State Veterinary Academy). A GoFundMe page has been set up.
Wilderley is an ethically focused sustainable living recreational farm in the Waveney Valley, East Anglia, founded by Celeste Goschen. The farm is currently hosting a refugee family who fled the war in Ukraine. Masha and her little girl, Lisa, were one of the first Ukrainian refugees to arrive in the UK. Wilderley is now working with Masha to build a “bridge of communication” for refugees arriving in the South East of England.
Wilderley and Masha have been urgently contacted by a horse yard at the Kharkiv veterinary university where a group of women who worked there are trying to save their 20 horses. The horse yard is located on the Eastern side of Kharkiv currently being controlled by the Russian forces.
“At the moment, we have managed to raise immediate funds to help transport the horses to a safer place in Ukraine,” said Celeste. “But we urgently need further funding to cover the necessary vaccinations and passports, before the horses can be moved to the safety of the UK. Once there we will be calling for foster homes.”
“Not only are the horses at risk during the siege but have the added threat of starvation if they remain in the Ukraine,” continued Celeste. “It’s unlikely that there will be a harvest in the Ukraine this year which will inevitably lead to a massive shortage of horse feed, as well as the current lack of veterinary medications and equestrian related support.”
Wilderley is coordinating the campaign to save the horses with Dergachev Children’s and Youth Equestrian School of the Kharkov’s State Biotechnological University (formerly the Kharkov State Veterinary Academy).
The head groom at the stables said: “We have managed to place some of the horses in temporary stables, but we need to get the rest out as soon as possible.
“The added problem is that while the owners of the temporary stables are kind people and could not refuse us, they cannot keep our horses for a long time, because they do not have enough food or space. We would like to transport some of the horses to other stables in the Poltava region, so that everyone has enough space and food. There is also a club with a sufficient stalls and feed for our horses, but there is already a problem in paying for their keep there.
“Thanks to a volunteer organization in Ukraine, as well as simply caring people, we have now been able to pay for a month’s stay. Some athletes who train with us have paid for their favourite horses themselves.
“But the funds are rapidly running out, and within a month we will have a problem with paying for the stay. Unfortunately, we understand that this nightmare will not end in a month and we will not be able to return home so quickly. So far, we have no idea what to do next and really need support. Your help in any small part is a serious step for us and our horses, for which we will be eternally grateful.”
Celeste added: “We beseech you to visit our GoFundMe page to make a donation, no matter how small it will help to make a real difference to the future safety and health of these horses.”
You can support Wilderley via the GoFundMe page.
