Dezzi and Delia: A Heartwarming Friendship

My name is Delia. I manage fundraising and awareness campaigns for ROLDA. Today, I want to take a moment to share the story of my sweet Dezzi…

Dezzi (originally Daisy) is 8 years old. I adopted her in 2021 from a woman who was keeping 18 animals in a small apartment before leaving for Italy.

When I first saw Daisy, she wasn’t supposed to be mine. The woman who had found her in a rural village was desperately trying to rehome eighteen animals before leaving the country. She had posted an announcement on Facebook — photos of hungry, unsterilized dogs kept in miserable conditions. Among them was a small, gentle soul named Daisy, who had spent most of her life chained in a backyard, forced to have babies after babies.

When I went to meet them, I was told I should adopt a different dog, “a good one, a breed dog,” she said. But the moment I sat down on the ground, Daisy walked straight toward me, climbed into my lap and stayed there. That was the moment I knew she had chosen me.

I renamed her Dezzi, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.

How ROLDA helped me and Dezzi:

Life was finally kind to Dezzi. She loved our long walks in the park, sitting quietly with me while I drank my coffee or simply feeling the grass under her paws. But in June 2023, everything changed. Dezzi started having sudden pain and weakness. We went through weeks of uncertainty — first, she was treated for bladder issues, then for a leg problem. Eventually, we found the real cause: a spinal hernia compressing her spinal cord.

The diagnosis came with a sentence: “She will never walk again. You should consider euthanasia.”

I refused to believe that was her only option. That’s how we reached Brains and Bones, a veterinary clinic specializing in neuro and orthopedic surgery. There, Dezzi received the proper treatment and miraculously, she recovered without surgery.

The doctors advised me to delay surgery for as long as possible, as the risks of paralysis were high.

For almost two years, she was stable. She had short walks again, wagged her tail and found joy in small things. But in June 2025, her condition worsened suddenly — this time, the treatment didn’t work. The CT showed a new, more severe hernia, requiring a complex dual-side surgical intervention with stabilizers. She was in unbearable pain and could no longer move her hind legs.

On June 9, Dezzi underwent a long and complicated surgery. The total costs were over 10,000 lei including CT scans, pre-op analyses and post-surgery medication.

I was heartbroken and financially overwhelmed.

That’s when ROLDA and Dana stepped in. They covered the full surgery costs, the medication and the recovery process. Without their help, Dezzi wouldn’t be here today. I will never forget that act of kindness; it didn’t just save her life, it gave her back the ability to live without pain.

Today, Dezzi is once again the same joyful dog I adopted four years ago. She runs around the living room, eats with appetite and enjoys her walks. The only change is that now I carry her up and down the stairs and she patiently waits for her new ramp to the couch (because that is her favorite place).

How I help ROLDA:

My work with ROLDA comes from a deep belief that every animal deserves the same chance Dezzi had, the chance to be seen, helped and loved. Through my role, I create and manage fundraising and awareness campaigns that help hundreds of dogs and cats find safety, medical care and a future filled with kindness.

I focus on building partnerships, organizing events and connecting people and companies who want to make a real difference for animals in need. Each project, whether it’s a donation campaign, a volunteer initiative or a story shared online carries the same mission: to make sure that every dog or cat ROLDA rescues receives the same compassion, treatment and second chance that saved Dezzi’s life.

For me, it’s not just about giving back, it’s about multiplying that miracle. Turning one story of survival into hundreds more.

Firstname, if Dezzi’s story has touched you, I hope you find it in your heart to make a donation to help us support the many senior dogs in our care.

Helping a senior dog is such a profoundly beautiful act…it not only offers them the love and companionship they desperately need in their golden years but also enriches our lives giving these deserving doggos a second chance to feel cherished and valued.