12/16/2025
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!! (16 December 2025)
Today was an unexpected and horrible setback for us financially. We really don't want to sound like we're begging, but we kinda are. Only a small fraction of this was expected, and this is going to put a huge financial burden on the next almost month because of it....
To begin with, on the evacuation yesterday it felt as if the van was pulling slightly. That is normally because of the winds that push on the van, which acts like a sail. But on arrival to the RCC yesterday with the people and animals we evacuated, it was clear that more was needed. The tire was down into the threads, which it had not been less than a week ago. The roads have knocked the alignment off, which caused the tire to end up needing replacement.
Because of the tread wear on the left tire and the fact that it was up front, we decided to do an inspection of the right tire as well. When it came off there was a hole in the inside sidewall that immediately turned that into a second tire replaced. Then on inspection of the rear tires, we found that one of the tires had accelerated wear on it since it was the former spare tire. So that one needed replacing for a total of three tires. After that painful purchase of close to $350, installation was an additional 2,000UAH. So for the tires it was $400 just to start. The alignment will be 750UAH and that will be done in a day or two when we can get an appointment.
Next, it was off to our mechanic to get a shift linkage replaced because the transmission was not going smoothly into first and sixth gears. It was something that was already expected and was going to be done on this trip, with the cost of that set to be around 5,500UAH installed. NOPE!!!! Once the linkage came off they realized that the whole shifting assembly was on the brink of failure, which is a known fault of the Sprinter HD vans. If it fails, the shift assembly will lock up and will only go into either 2nd or 4th gear. That means that on the road we would be stuck in one of two gears to limp home or away from drones, etc. Lets add another $18,450UAH to the total so far.....
The transmission had the be dropped since the shifting goes from the top into the unit. The the assembly you see had to replace the bad one, and the transmission had to go back in again. That took about three hours or so.
With all of the costs of parts, supplies, and labor we came up to....
(Drum Roll Please)
40,020UAH = $976.10USD
Unfortunately, the donate button is not showing as an option because we are here in Ukraine. The best, easiest, and fastest way to help is through our website at
www.globalanimalrescueandresponse.org/donate . You can see other means to donate below as well, but we are absolutely in panic mode right now because on top of this, we had a 9,900UAH expenditure tonight for dog and cat food going to an incredible man in the Donbas. It is difficult to say, but it is the truth when we say that we could run out of money here before Christmas based on what went out today.
We are Global Animal Rescue And Response and helping those in need is what we do. And now, more than ever, we need YOUR help to keep helping those who we do.
🙏 Every donation makes a life-saving difference.
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