Ukrainian War: Scots send aid for the pets left behind

An Edinburgh volunteer group has sent more than 110 tonnes of aid to Ukraine for the people and pets caught up in the conflict.

Sunflower Scotland has sent cat and dog food to shelters in Dnipro, to help the animals left behind by owners who were killed or forced to flee.

It has raised more than £30,000 and dispatched supplies including clothes, medicine, camping gear and baby boxes.

The group's partners in Eastern Ukraine deliver the aid to towns most in need.

Sunflower Scotland was set by Scottish volunteers with families in Ukraine.

Secretary Anastasia Bombrys told BBC Scotland the public response was "amazing" after the organisation started fundraising following the Russian invasion.

While its focus is on humanitarian aid, Ms Bombrys said many people had asked them if they could donate pet food.

She added: "A lot of people tried to take their animals but there were huge queues for trains and buses so not everybody was able to do that.

"Only those who travelled by car were able to take pets."

Ms Bombrys said there were also many dogs and cats that no longer had a home as their owners had been killed.

Pet food has been sent to the Ulublena Dvornyaga and Zvezdniy shelters in Dnipro

Over the last month Sunflower Scotland has built up a network extending from Edinburgh to Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Falkirk and Aberdeen.

The group sends aid directly to Lviv in Ukraine rather than Poland.

Among its other aid efforts are a bakery which donated two tonnes of flour which will soon be transported to Ukraine.

Sewing tape from Scotland is also being sent to help make ammo vests for civilian volunteers.

Once they reach Lviv, supplies are loaded onto smaller vehicles to make distribution easier in the areas worst hit by the conflict.

Sunflower Scotland's most recent fundraising event was a bake sale at Starbucks in Fountain Park, Edinburgh, on Sunday.

Ms Bombrys, who has Ukrainian and Belarusian heritage, says the news pictures from Ukraine have compelled to help the humanitarian crisis

She said: "I have childhood memories of travelling from Minsk to my grandparents' home in Kremenchuk.

"Now along that 800km route you see absolute devastation to places and people's lives."