This Morning vet Scott Miller recounts traumatic trip to war-torn Ukraine to treat and rescue terrified abandoned dogs with horrific injuries after canines were caught in bomb blasts

Television vet Scott Miller was compelled to travel to war-torn Ukraine after seeing heartbreaking pictures of abandoned pets after people fled their homes in fear.

The This Morning regular, 46, left his wife Zoe, 44, and their four children at home, despite their protestations, and flew to Eastern Europe in a bid to rescue animals who had been hurt as bombs rained down on the country’s cities.

Teaming up with charity Breaking The Chains, which is made up of ex-military personnel, Scott is aiming to bring abandoned and sick dogs back to the UK to be rehomed, with some now paraplegic and relying on wheels to move around.

He told The Sun: ‘Everyone said I was absolutely crazy to go to Ukraine, because it is an active war zone, but I just felt compelled.

‘I’ve been an animal lover my whole life. Animals helped me through as a child, struggling socially.

Terrifying: Television vet Scott Miller, 46, was compelled to travel to war-torn Ukraine after seeing heartbreaking pictures of abandoned pets after people fled their homes in fear

‘They never judged and they are always there to give that unconditional love. Animals are sentient beings. They have emotions, they have feelings, they feel fear.

‘And they’re caught up in this war, and they are also suffering alongside the Ukrainian people.’  

Scott, who has been a vet for 26 years, flew out to Suceava in Romania on January 20.

He then crossed the border into Ukraine and drove four hours to the city of Vinnytsia.  

Scott has helped perform surgery on maimed pets and has also given out food to residents.

He said recently: ‘I’m still processing the whole experience to be honest.’

After arriving in Ukraine, Scott met a number of canines including Phoenix who had his back legs ripped off in a bomb blast.

He was found hobbling through the rubble before he was rescued by Scott and his team.

Rescued: Scott treated Jonny, who now uses wheels to move around, after a Russian soldier shot him in the back

Another dog, Jonny, now uses wheels to move around after a Russian soldier shot him in the back.   

The Staffordshire Bull Terrier desperately needed surgery after developing an infection.

Scott was tasked with amputating his toe in a shelter – and had to use a torch when the electricity went out.

New home: Teaming up with charity Breaking The Chains, which is made up of ex-military personnel, Scott is aiming to bring abandoned and sick dogs back to the UK

Compelled: This Morning regular Scott left his wife Zoe, 44, and their four children at home, despite their protestations, and flew to Eastern Europe in a bid to rescue animals

He said: ‘This dog had been shot in the back by Russians and needed his toe amputating to stop an infection.

‘I was performing the surgery in sub-zero temperatures, and had to finish it by torchlight after the electricity cut out.’

The volunteers rescue stray animals in Ukraine and deliver pet and farm owners vital food and supplies.

Journey: Scott, who has been a vet for more than 26 years, flew out to Suceava in Romania on January 20

War zone: He then crossed the border into Ukraine and drove four hours to the city of Vinnytsia to help the animals

Scott’s experience meant he was a useful pair of hands for the charity and he was quickly called into action.

Scott also travelled to Kherson – a city in the southeast of Ukraine recently liberated by Zelenskyy’s forces.

There he helped deliver pet food and supplies to a woman who was looking after 200 dogs in an abandoned shelter.

Important work: Scott has helped perform surgery on maimed pets and has also given out food to residents

Brutal: Scott admits he found the experience difficult, saying: ‘I’m still processing the whole experience to be honest’

But when he arrived, many of the dogs were breeding uncontrollably and needed neutering to stop them reproducing.

So, with the help of ex-soldiers, he turned their van into an operating theatre and performed surgical castration on ten dogs.

Scott said: ‘This lady was caring for 200 dogs all by herself.

‘We brought her pet food and supplies to keep them alive, but some needed neutering and vaccinating.

Moving: Scott said: The people I met out there were incredible and the love and care they had for animals was inspiring’

‘Ex-British soldiers working for the charity, led by Tom S-N, helped me turn our van into an operating theatre and anaesthetise the dogs before surgery.

‘They adapted to the situation incredibly well, and, with their assistance, I performed successful castration surgery on ten dogs.’

Scott says he also travelled to the front line to provide survival kits for those caring for animals and visited an orphanage.

He has now returned from Ukraine. 

Scott said: The people I met out there were incredible and the love and care they had for animals was inspiring.

‘Breaking The Chains are doing an outstanding job.’

Scott is now raising money for a specialist veterinary ambulance vehicle for Breaking The Chains.

Charity: Scott is now raising money for a specialist veterinary ambulance vehicle for Breaking The Chains

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