A dog shelter has been hit in Ukraine in a devastating Russian strike this morning. Thirteen dogs were killed, seven have been injured and a further 25 are missing following the bombing at the rescue centre in Zaporizhzhia.

Three volunteers at the shelter, which is supported by British charity Paws2Rescue, have also been hurt in the attack. The centre, which is home to more than 500 rescue dogs, has been badly damaged in the onslaught.

Paws2Rescue founder Alison Standbridge said: “Paws2Rescue have worked with this shelter since 2022 and have many dogs living happily in families in the UK from here.

“Irina and the team are so incredibly brave, without funds to move over 500 dogs to a safer area, they were shelled three times in 2025, but this time it was a direct target.

“It devastates us daily when she sends videos and the dogs constantly living in fear and barking at the noises in the sky, but this shelling has torn our hearts apart.

“Dogs didn’t ask to be a part of any war, the innocent suffer.”

Horrific picture show the bodies of dogs in the shelter, which has been reduced to rubble in parts, in the wake of the attack.

Paws2Rescue, whose patrons include comedian Ricky Gervais, actor Peter Egan and TV vet Marc Abraham, was set up to help stray dogs in Romania but has extended its work to Ukraine after Vladimir Putin launched his brutal invasion in 2022.