Family for a Four-Legged Friend

After February 24, 2022, many Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes, and not all of them had the opportunity to take their pets with them. As a result, since the beginning of 2022, the number of animals in animal volunteers has increased by 60%, and in shelters in the frontline regions by 100%. Even before the full-scale russian invasion, Ukraine was among the top 10 countries with the highest number of stray animals. The war has only made the situation even more critical.

At the same time, the adoption rate of stray animals remained insufficient to reduce the burden on shelters. Our task was to encourage more pet adoptions in Ukraine together with Suziria Group.

What was done?

To raise awareness about the problem of stray animals and the importance of adoption, we decided to create a mural in the center of Kyiv.

The main character of the mural was Anastasiia Tykha, an animal volunteer who, together with her husband, took about 30 animals – including disabled dogs – out of war-torn Irpin on foot. A photo of her, taken by famous photographer Christopher Occhicone, spread not only across Ukraine but worldwide, becoming a symbol of Ukrainian courage – even in the darkest times, people risked their lives to protect their pets.

After obtaining all necessary permissions – from Christopher Occhicone, Anastasiia Tykha, the residents of the building, and the utility – we brought in the Kailas-V creative group. Since 2002, they have created over 70 murals in Ukraine and abroad. We also added a QR code to the mural, allowing people to learn more about Suziria Group’s adoption projects and find a list of partner shelters where they could adopt a four-legged friend.

We used the mural unveiling as a newsbreak to talk more about pet adoption and the challenges faced by animals that have not yet found their families.

We organized a special themed event and invited influencers with a creative mailing:

a shopper bag with an adoption-themed quote: "Four-legged friend from a shelter will love you more than anyone when you give it a family";
Savory pet food – for the influencer's pet and a shelter animal;
a personalized invitation card with event details.

The first stage of the event was a breakfast with influencers and media, featuring speeches from Anastasiia Tykha and representatives of Suziria Group and UAnimals. They spoke about the importance of adoption, the realities of Ukraine, and the lives of animals in shelters.

We also set up interactive zones at the press event:

tablets with a live stream from Patron Pet Adoption Center – guests were able to see the shelter animals in real time, and learn about their habits, care and behavior.
a Savory pet food station, where guests could take food home for their own pets or give it to a shelter animal.
an adoption corner, where guests were able to get to know the residents of the shelters in more detail – to learn more about their stories and needs or even to save contacts of their caretakers for the future.

After breakfast, the official unveiling of the mural took place at Zolotoustivska St. 23, Kyiv.

Campaign Results

100+ media mentions about adoption

6,2M+ coverage

40+ influencer posts

1,5M+ coverage