Be a voice for thousands of dogs abused
by the company of one of richest men in the World

The steel producer from the Romania town, Galati, is one of the largest, multi-billion companies from Europe, owned by Lakshmi Mittal, a British-Indian citizen.

Shortly after being publicly exposed for mass slaughter hundreds of dogs, the company’ management contacted ROLDA for help. After months of intense negotiations, the company finally accepted the humane method that we proposed and they promised to build a modern shelter with a veterinary clinic, fully equipped.

After rushing to finish 8 paddocks, the work stopped. We were told that the project is postponed because the economic crisis. When the strays’ number grew exponentially because the city, close to the steel plant, is full of dogs that constantly reproduce – the company built 2 more paddocks.
It passed another 7 years until the shelter was connected to water and electricity. This happened only after we contacted the company‘s headquarter from London and described the conditions in which our team works. Probably the Romanian management wasn’t happy that we contacted the Headquarter. Therefore, the collaboration deteriorated even worse.

“There were many times when I simply wanted to quit, but I never choose the easiest way: I knew that once they stop working with ROLDA, they will start killing animals again. And with the Romanian law that condemns the strays to death, situation look even worse” said Dana, Founder of ROLDA.

Few years ago, the management decided to apply sanctions to any employee that will give food to the strays roaming on the steel plant platform. End of 2014, new negotiation started with the steel plant management. They estimated to have around 3000 dogs within their premises. ROLDA succeeded to reduce the strays’ number with 70%.

Negotiations were tensed. The Mittal’s company didn’t give many options. ROLDA goal always was a safe future for the dogs from our shelter and for the dogs still present on the steel plant garden. Negotiations lasted from spring to midsummer. In the new contract, the steel company obliged to complete the investments listed in the annex of the contract in 5 years.
Investments included: repairs of the paddocks, complete the veterinary clinic etc all required by the law and all of these promises made back in 2007 and postponed ever since. ROLDA explained them many times the importance of clean kennels. We also tried to lobby for running spaces for the dogs’ exercises, but steel management refused.

ROLDA agreed to have the budget reduced with 20% and these money to be used for investments listed in the annexe of the contract. Basically, ROLDA contributed to these investments, letting Mittal’s company to handle the money in the most efficient way. And they did: In February 2016, they canceled the contract, stopped the investments but never returned the money they took from us.

This is not “business”. This could be called “robbery” but maybe this is a tough word to use. A CEO from Mittal’s company has over one million EUR salary and bonuses sometimes are higher than salary itself. Lakshmi Mittal is one of the richest men on Earth. They simply can’t take the dogs’ money!

photo: ROLDA team member with a dog #mittaldogs

With a contract canceled, investments stopped, sewage machine canceled the shelter have no future.
We believed in this project and made the entire World aware of it. We invited TVs to promote it, we encouraged private animal lovers to donate for shelter’ improvements, including building a natural wind barrier and building running spaces for dogs exercises, which were a major reason of worry for visitors from past years. Lack of running spaces created unfairly a bad image for ROLDA.

To improve the shelter, we had to reunite effort with other animal lovers from around the World, to buy new land, reconstruct the road, and move the fencing. We were not alone in this because we had international support but we couldn’t rely on the steel plant support as they never really cared about the dogs’ wellbeing.

ROLDA feels betrayed by a partner that proof to be immoral, indifferent, ignorant and arrogant. Few weeks before the contract ended, we were threaten and blackmailed by one of Mittal’s company Romanian manager. We addressed the Headquarter with our concerns regarding this behavior and provided them the proof. To our surprise, the Headquarter decided to protect the manager.

We had no other options left: we addressed to Court and presently have 2 trials against the steel company. Hiring a lawyer, paying the Court taxes were additional costs for us. The trials will probably end in 2 years and we don’t know if we can resist that long.

11 reasons to sign the petition. Add Your Reason Now!

Click to see our petition on Care2.com

We created a petition politely addressing Lakshmi Mittal, the owner of the steel plant. As soon as petition became viral, they blocked our server. Mittal people refuse to hear about these incidents, about the abuses that his company does, about our worries for these dogs. Let’s not allow this to happen!

Send Your Letter to Mittal Today!

1. Click here to download a sample letter (Word file)
2. You can add your own thoughts. Please be polite and short.
3. Save the letter in your computer
4. Print the letter
5. Sign it
6. Mail it to:

ArcelorMittal
Att: Lakshmi Mittal
7th Floor
Berkeley Square
London W1J 6DA
England

or

ArcelorMittal
Att: Lakshmi Mittal
24-26, Boulevard d’Avranches
L-1160 Luxembourg

 

Your voice matters!

The shelter deteriorates. The sewage machine was canceled by steel plant – they didn’t care that dogs and humans are exposed to serious health infection risk if residual waters are not collected on time and efficiently. The solution found means extra money from a budget we don’t have. There is no money for repairs and the authorities will suspend our authorization soon. The projects were obviously postponed. And our dreams are slowly dying … and that’s worst than “an impossible dream”.

 

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