We are proud to announce this year’s winners of the Brian Davies Award for outstanding work in the field of animal welfare. The award is named after Network for Animals’ founder, Brian Davies, and recognizes organizations and individuals who demonstrate exceptional courage and bravery in helping animals in exceedingly difficult circumstances.
This year, as in previous years, it was no easy task to select only three winners. Every organization we work with goes to extraordinary lengths to help animals in the worst possible situations, and we are honored to work with every one of them.
“There were so many worthy contenders this year,” said Gloria Davies, CEO of Network for Animals. “However, what stands out in 2022 is the astonishing bravery of animal lovers in Ukraine and Poland, who rallied to save animals, and risked their lives to rescue creatures terrified, injured, hungry and distraught because of the Russian invasion. For that reason, this year’s list is dedicated to wonderful organizations who, in the true tradition of Network for Animals, were there for animals in the time of their direst need.”
Brian Davies Gold Award 2022 Winners
This year, we awarded the top Brian Davies Gold Award to not one but two exceptional organizations: Vetmarket Pluriton in Ukraine and the Dolnośląski Inspektorat Ochrony Zwierząt (DIOZ) in Poland.
At the start of the war, Vetmarket Pluriton was a pet food manufacturer, but immediately it became an animal rescue organization when the Russians invaded Ukraine. NFA bought Vetmarket a rescue vehicle, provided logistical support, and uses the Vetmarket production line to produce dog food which is distributed free to needy animals in some of the worst and most dangerous war zones. Three Vetmarket volunteers were captured by Russian troops after they delivered a shipment of food and were about to evacuate injured and distressed animals. Vetmarket’s vehicle was looted, and the volunteers were imprisoned. Their release was negotiated after six weeks. One is seriously ill, and another received such brutal beatings that he requires ongoing intensive medical care. All are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
In spite of this appalling event, Vetmarket continues to feed and rescue animals in the war zones – a testament to their enduring bravery and the commitment to animals that NFA stands for.
DIOZ has rescued over a thousand dogs from the Ukraine war and transported them to safety. Its team routinely risks its lives for the sake of animals who would otherwise face terrible suffering, starvation, and brutal deaths.
In addition to its work in Ukraine, DIOZ stepped in to help NFA rescue dozens of dogs from the Zarkovica shelter in Croatia, after Zarkovica was condemned and more than 200 dogs required new homes. DIOZ drives 898,5 miles (1,446 kilometers) between its headquarters in Jelenia Góra and Dubrovnik to take ambulance-loads of animals to safety.
Brian Davies Bronze Award 2022 Winner
A bronze Brian Davies Award for 2022 honors the Animal Guardians Program, a group of elderly Ukrainian pensioners – one in a wheelchair! – who refused to be evacuated from their homes so they could provide food and care for street animals in and around the war zones of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Dnipro. These brave souls put animals first at considerable risk to their lives. They shelter in their homes and emerge to feed animals when there is a lull in the fighting. NFA provided funds for food, medicine, emergency veterinary treatments, building materials to repair infrastructure affected by shelling, and other support to Animal Guardians. Such incredible bravery and self-sacrifice are in the highest tradition of animal welfare.
Congratulations to every one of our worthy winners. We are so proud to partner with you and support your work.
Banner image (Left to right): Dolnośląski Inspektorat Ochrony Zwierząt (DIOZ), Vetmarket Pluriton, Anzhela Sheveleva
