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Because without faith…

During my encounter with the dogcatcher, I witnessed up close the hatred these people have for stray dogs. In their eyes, these dogs are a plague in our society. Their mission is to kill them all before they become an unsolvable problem.

There is no respect for the life of a street dog. This is evident in the brutal way they are treated on the streets and in public pounds. It’s emotionally distressing every time I visit these pounds because there are hundreds of helpless dogs I want to set free but can’t. I leave feeling like a useless hypocrite, abandoning dogs that desperately need saving.

I founded ROLDA to prevent homeless dogs in Romania from ending up in filthy and overcrowded pounds that are more like prisons than shelters. And yet, there are thousands of these pounds across the country filled with the very dogs I promised to protect.

I fear I’m fighting a losing battle… but I haven’t given up hope. After the incident with the dogcatcher, I went to the local pound to voice my anger and frustration. While I was there I noticed a dead dog in one of the kennels. I demanded the guards to remove that dog at once.

As they were bringing the dog out, they noticed it was still alive but barely breathing. His eyes were closed and he wasn’t moving. I took the dog from them and gently held it in my arms. We walked out of that pound together as tears ran down my face.

When we reached ROLDA, I was afraid the dog had died because I could hardly detect breathing, but it was just very faint. The medical staff attended to him immediately and told me everything was going to be fine. Seeing the condition of the dog, I found those words hard to believe. They brought me no comfort at all, and I spent hours feeling anxious and sick awaiting news on his status. Terrible thoughts were going through my head. Sometimes hateful thoughts.

I was in the bathroom crying when one of the nurses came in and told me the dog was going to be okay. I was happy, but I couldn’t stop crying.

“No animal deserves this”, I said. “I left so many behind. I left so many behind. They need my help and I just left.”
I was inconsolable. The nurse just hugged me and held me until I calmed down.

“You saved a life today”, she said. “If you hadn’t gone to that pound, he would be dead right now. If you hadn’t been paying attention, he would be dead. If you didn’t care, he would be dead. You saved a life today and you should be proud.”

I was. Once I started focusing on the positive, I realized that I felt extremely proud. I saved a life.

Today, JADA is happy and healthy. When she first arrived here she was severely underweight and dehydrated. Her left paw was infected and full of worms. The medical staff was amazed by her recovery and will to live. So was I. When I held JADA in my arms, I could feel her life floating away. I could feel her taking her last breath. I could feel her giving up hope.

I never realized it at the time because I was too upset and scared, but I had faith. I had faith in the medical staff and the ROLDA team. I had faith in our work and our mission. I still have faith.

Despite the ongoing struggle to close down these horrific pounds, I have faith that one day we will be victorious, and preventable tragedies will be prevented. I have faith you will help us. I have faith that together we will save many more dogs like JADA.

This Year, Give the Greatest Gift of All! Give Hope!

Her eye had been damaged beyond repair. Her family had no money for a vet. There was no medicine, no way for her to escape the searing pain. But she did not complain, nor did she cry out when touched. Buffy came to us terrified, bloody, and alone.

Abandoned. Even if we could save this tiny life, her family had no room for a “freak” in their home. Better no dog, than a one-eyed dog, they said. And they left. Because of the generosity of people like you, Buffy got a second chance. Some people, and some shelters, might question our decision. Why spend money; why “waste” scarce resources on an injured dog that no one wants?

Why? Because at ROLDA we refuse to turn our backs on a friend in need. We stand up for our friends on four legs, as we do for those who walk on two. We pick them up from the dumps and the alleys where they have been discarded like trash. Dogs and puppies are tossed aside by individuals incapable of compassion. Humans have lost their humanity.

In 2015, we have saved 918 dogs (and even a donkey) from terrible suffering. Saved them from an inevitable slow and lonely death on the streets. Buffy is just one tiny, injured, soul out of many. Yet she has touched our hearts in a special way.

If you meet her, you will be moved by Buffy’s ability to forgive, and her eagerness to love again. Her desire to belong. We’ll find her a forever home. A family is deserving of her unwavering devotion.

I shudder to think of what would have happened to this sweet girl if ROLDA had not been here to help.It sickens and saddens me to think of her in a stinking, filthy, Public “Shelter” (while you visit this link you can meet the realities in Romania and sign our petition to end illegal pounds in Romania). Death chambers where dogs are deserted, and forced to feed on each other in a desperate struggle for survival. Which is never won. Tiny, bloodied Buffy would not have lasted long.

It’s a nightmare I have too often. Imagining, that we might be unable to keep our dogs safe. The dreaded doubts that we will not have the resources to continue the critical community and animal rescue programs we have in place. The possibility that all the accomplishments of years of blood, sweat, and tears will have been for nothing.

And so much progress has been made. We have built two shelters, sterilized thousands of animals, and provided food and medical care to thousands more. ROLDA has educational campaigns, and we provide support to seniors who cannot afford proper care for their companion animals. While much has been done, there is so very much more we must do…

We need to work towards a permanent solution to the issues of animal abuse and abandonment. We need to change the minds of the men in women in our community, to teach our children that dogs are not disposable; every soul, animal or human, feels pain, fear, and joy. That our own spirits and our community spirit suffer when we turn a blind eye to the cruel crimes against animals that continue.

While you read these lines, please take a moment to reflect. To remember how fortunate we people truly are. To recognize the power that you have to give a voice to those who cannot speakAnd to act.

Buffy is one of the thousands of dogs at risk. Please donate today. Give hope, where so little exists today. You might wish that Buffy met all the international volunteers who visited us in October, from Sweden, Norway and Switzerland. They all loved the tiny, brave little girl.

Buffy before
Buffy after

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How a dog catcher’s indifference towards the abuse of stray dogs shattered my faith.

One morning, as I was walking to the shelter, I saw a tiny stray being dragged by the collar with a catch pole.
I started to run towards the van, yelling at the catcher to stop, but he just ignored me. The dog was struggling and fighting to break free, but the catcher threw him into the back of his van like a sack of potatoes. I could hear the whimpers and cries as I ran.

The catcher saw me and just got into his van and started driving away. I desperately picked up a rock and threw it at the van hoping he will stop and confront me. He did.

“What you’re doing is inhumane,” I said

“They’re just dirty dogs,” he said. “We’re going to put them out of their misery. You think they want to live?“

The catcher was a tall, brusque man who could overpower any dog — especially a weak and skinny street dog. It was an unfair fight. He accosted me in a raging fury because of the rock, and I admit I was frightened. Then I heard the dogs crying in the van, and my fear turned into anger. The catcher was shocked.

“What you’re doing is inhumane,” I said. He insulted me and said I had no right to stop him.

“They’re just dirty dogs,” he said. “We’re going to put them out of their misery. How is that inhumane? You think they want to live?”

He threatened me and walked away. But I jumped in front of him, opened his door, and removed the keys. He tried to snatch the keys from me, but I yelled. There was nobody around — only a farmhouse a few meters away. He backed away.

I called Marian and told him to bring our van right away. The catcher threatened to open the door and let the dogs loose, but I stood in front of the door and refused to move. When Marian arrived, we opened the door and there were six dogs shaking violently with fear. They were lying with their heads and ears down, and looking at us with terrified eyes that said “Please, don’t hurt us.”

The tiny stray I had seen had an injured neck from the catch pole. He was whimpering in pain and bleeding around his neck. I picked him up gently and showed the injured neck to the catcher.

“Is this how you treat a defenseless animal that probably hasn’t eaten or drank water in days?” I said, with tears flowing down my cheeks. The catcher just shrugged his shoulders. We hurried the dogs to our REX Clinic where our veterinarian attended to the injured dog immediately. He had to be given anesthesia because he was in too much pain. Fortunately, he made a full recovery.

I had read many horror stories about dog catchers and public pounds, and I’ve led protests and petitions against their brutal tactics, but I had never confronted one in the act. Even though we saved six dogs, it was a frightening and heartbreaking experience that shattered my faith in my ability to change the way people treat stray dogs. I guess all I can do is continue saving them from the streets and public pounds.

Sadly, dogs are better off on the streets than in a public pound in Romania — probably any pound.

That day we saved six dogs from spending days in an overcrowded and filthy pound where they are starved, neglected, and abused. It puzzles me how anyone could take pleasure in hurting a defenseless animal — especially one awaiting execution. These dogs are homeless animals that struggle each day to find food and shelter. They live a lonely existence filled with pain and suffering. They are tragic. Why hurt such an animal?

Why aren’t they shown more compassion? Why don’t people want to help them?
I may never get answers, and I may never prevent another dog catcher from hurting another stray dog. But I can keep rescuing them, feeding them, giving them shelter and medicine, and I can find them a good home with a loving family. I can continue to fight to have these horrific pounds closed and renovated. And that’s exactly what I intend to do.

Help! My name is Today

When I look around me these days I feel a great sense of pride. It was over a decade ago that we built our first shelter and rescued the first 60 dogs from a lonely and harsh life. Today we have 2 shelters that 600 dogs currently call home. Every day I try to spend time with each one, but the truth is that most days I cannot. However, the precious moments I experience with these beautiful animals remind me that whenever I am not with them, I am fighting for them.

I am relieved and happy that these dogs are safe under our care, but I believe they deserve much more. Our shelter shouldn’t become their forever but just a temporary home for them. There is a loving family for every one of these dogs—and I’m trying to find them. When I am able to turn one of these forgotten strays into a family member, it is the greatest feeling in the world!

The moment one of our dogs is adopted, 2 lives are saved!

It means that there is a vacancy in our shelters for another abandoned dog. It’s exciting because we get to go out and rescue another poor, defenseless stray who will get the chance to become part of a family.
You can be that family! If you’ve been considering adding a pet to your life, adopt one of our dogs. These dogs are hungry for love and compassion. They have been alone for too long.

You’re not only giving them an opportunity, but you’re also giving us an opportunity to save more lives.
Near our shelters, there are roughly 20,000 homeless dogs wandering the streets sick and starving. It breaks my heart that I can’t save them when they are so close.

I need your help. They need your help.

If you’re not ready to bring one of our dogs home, you can still help save another life. No matter where you are or how much you give! Every dog is extremely grateful for any support they receive. Remember that they were struggling to stay alive before we rescued them.

How do you save lives by sponsoring a dog or donating to ROLDA?
Your generosity will help us to keep growing and expanding so that we can have room for hundreds of more homeless dogs. We went from 1 shelter to 2. We went from 60 dogs to 600. We did this together — and only together can we continue to raise these numbers.

My name is Dana and I founded ROLDA in 2006. Now, ROLDA is an international charity, incorporated in the USA as well as other 8 countries: Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, the UK, Germany and Romania. All our international affiliates’ directors are volunteers, meaning that every penny of your donation goes to animals’ direct needs.

Everything we’ve accomplished is because of generous people like you. Every dog we save is made possible by you! I and all the ROLDA dogs are forever grateful for your help. We only ask that you not forget about us.

We may be thousands of miles apart, but our hearts are in the same place. I am just one of too many abandoned and abused dogs left to die on Romania’s streets. But I am one of a very lucky few. I was rescued by ROLDA starving, and broken. They fed me, bathed me, and treated my wounds.

They put me together again as a dog. Now I can trust, love, and live a real dog’s life. I only need to find my forever family. While I am waiting, I need a sponsor to provide me with the basic care that every dog deserves.

I don’t ask for much; my needs are few. Clean water, and a full belly when I fall asleep. A few minutes of playtime with my friends, on two legs and on four! A little love goes a long way here, after suffering so horribly as a homeless dog.

I cannot bear the thought of ever having to return to those terrible streets, to the beatings of the thugs in the back alleys, the untreated injuries, and the debilitating disease. The constant fear of the dog catchers and their death camps haunts me still. Knowing how many of the kind I left behind saddens me.

Your sponsorship guarantees that I will be provided for while I patiently wait to be adopted. Better yet, you are saving two lives. By sponsoring me, enough money is freed up so that another dog can be taken off the streets. Even a one-time donation goes a long way at the shelter. And 97 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to helping our dogs.

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I know how hard the staff and volunteers work at ROLDA’s shelters and on the streets. But perhaps you have never been to my country. Why not come and visit? A volunteer stay would show you the great work your donations make possible.

Romania is a place of great beauty and hard-working people, and there is much hope in our hearts. But so much remains to be done for the animals, and the poor. You should visit us. You may even fall in love…I am so much more charming and beautiful when you meet me in person! Could you be my soul mate?

Would you like to meet my friends from the ROLDA shelter?

The life lesson we can learn from her can change the way we give

My name is Laika, and I am a Romanian girl. I am prettier and younger than I look. But too many litters of little ones have aged me. Last year, there were four puppies, and now there are 6 more but only 2 still alive.

I love my children, but I cannot provide for them. There are no human homes for them here, and my own family was too poor to have me sterilized. There is a desperate need to spay and neuter me and the millions of other homeless dogs. To stop the cycle of unwanted puppies, more pregnancies and more abandoned dogs dumped on the streets to die.

My puppies and I are a few of the very lucky dogs to make it off these mean streets alive. ROLDA is providing us with shelter, food, and water. I know we are safe here, and that the kind people here work so hard. Each one of them, like each person out there, can make a difference.

You may think you are only one person. How could you possibly make a difference with seemingly insurmountable problems? But you can. And you do.

Michele from Switzerland donated 75 EUR to help us sterilize Blonda and provide medical care for her three babies. You might think it’s just a dog and only a donation, but for Blonda and her babies, this meant that Michele saved their lives and stopped the cycle of babies being born.

Donating to help have me sterilized means I will not produce any more unwanted puppies to suffer on the streets. For only 20 EUR you are helping to stop the cycle of overpopulation. It is a small step. But every journey begins by putting one foot forward.

Gift for Laika’s castration

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Your generosity gives us dogs hope, and a chance at a better life. Every Euro, and every dollar helps.

I used to wonder if anyone cared if there was any hope at all. Now that I am at ROLDA, I know me and my family is safe. I know that things can change, and things do change. Make that change, change for the better.

Animal Rescue Mission IN DANGER! Don’t Turn Your Back!

Small charities like ROLDA are always facing difficult fundraising challenges that can be devastating to their mission. Constant uncertainty about funding affects progress and results, and the ones who suffer are those we are trying to help.

ROLDA is a small animal charity that has 2 shelters with a capacity for 700 dogs. We are located in an industrial town in Galati, the poorest region in Romania with a population of 20,000 homeless dogs.

Why is our animal rescue mission in danger?
Because we cannot raise sufficient funds locally due to poverty. We have to rely on funds from foreigners to be able to continue helping animals in Romania. This brings us to another challenge:

Why would people want to help animals in Romania?
Romania has one of the largest populations of homeless dogs in all of Europe at 2.5 million. They have become a burden to society and most are killed by the locals. The government has also approved the killing of stray dogs. Nobody wants to help them… just kill them!!! Wait! I want to help!!!

To be fair, there are Romanian citizens that are against these mass killings and mistreatment of strays and other helpless animals. Some even try protests or activism, but they’re not impactful because of a lack of support and lack of funding.

Do you want to help or let them be killed?
You can adopt, sponsor, donate, send a gift, volunteer, or help spread the word about ROLDA and our animal rescue mission in Romania. Our mission is in danger, but you can help us! Without your support, we may have to reduce the number of animals we help this year.

Why help ROLDA?
Meet Lori, one of the latest dogs we helped live with no pain. Thanks to you, we give back life to Lori (and countless more dogs)

Lori before
Lori after

Lori gain confidence and made new friends! Read Lori’s gratitude letter!

Help ROLDA today!

If you live in Sweden, please use these bank number 573-0502 to make your donation today! (Association ROLDA Sverige registration no. 802490-7050)

Dog for sale or dog for adoption? There are several arguments for each option, but we at ROLDA are focused on finding a loving home for every dog it rescues. We do not offer dogs for sale… only dogs for adoption. We do not oppose the sale of dogs (as long as it’s humane), but our mission is to rescue every homeless dog in Romania and give them an opportunity to become adopted.

There are 2.5 million homeless dogs in Romania that are suffering from starvation, disease, neglect, abuse, and torture. These same dogs have been labeled a threat and danger to society, and now they are being… hunted and slaughtered by the Government!!!

We desperately need your help to prevent defenseless dogs from being brutally killed. If you are looking to own or buy a dog, we ask that you consider adopting one of the 700 dogs we currently have in our shelters. They have known only suffering and deserve to be loved. Just browse through our dogs at sponsoradog.org and choose one today!

When you adopt a dog from ROLDA you are saving 2 lives! That’s right! When you bring one of our dogs home, we can go out and rescue another helpless dog and bring it to our shelters where it will receive the quality care it deserves.

Why would you adopt a dog from Romania?
Because the chances of one of our dogs being adopted by a Romanian citizen is almost zero. The average monthly income here is 200 EUR, and most people cannot afford to own pets.

Without the support of foreign countries like Sweden, our dogs would continue to be homeless. Without you, ROLDA cannot survive … and the dogs will have no one to fight for them! Simply go to sponsoradog.org and choose a dog. We will take care of the rest. And if you know anyone looking to buy or own a dog, tell them about ROLDA and the hundreds of dogs that are available for adoption today.

P.S. You can also help us by volunteering at our shelters. In 2013 and 2015 we welcomed volunteers (even a young filming crew!!!) from Sweden and we are always welcoming more. The dogs are waiting for you! Come and make a difference for them!

P.S.2 Not able to travel? You can make a difference as a virtual volunteer. Contact Sandra and Lisa at info@roldasverige.se

In Romania… NO dog breed is safe. In 2013, the Romanian government passed a law to kill the entire stray population, including dogs held in public shelters. That means 2.5 million homeless dogs are being…Hunted and slaughtered!!!

The authorities do not care for dog breeds — if the dog is homeless, it must be killed. This is the easiest, fastest, and cheapest solution the government could think of. To them and millions of Romanian citizens, homeless dogs are an inconvenience that must be eliminated.

But not everyone feels the same way. We at ROLDA work hard every day to save as many homeless dogs as possible from slaughter. ROLDA is a small charity that operates from a remote industrial town in Galati, the poorest region in the country.

Without generous donations from people outside of Romania, ROLDA could not exist … and the homeless dogs would have no one to fight for them. This is why we are reaching out to you all the way in Sweden. We need your help to save homeless dogs from brutal death. YES! I want to send my donation to ROLDA from Sweden.

Your donation will immediately help us rescue more homeless dogs from being caught and killed by Romanian authorities. But you should know that we at ROLDA do not focus on saving specific dog breeds — if the dog is homeless, we must save it! Big dog breeds, small dog breeds, cutest dog breeds, old, young, injured, disabled, disfigured, sick… they are all worth saving! And your donation makes this possible.

At ROLDA shelters, we provide rescued dogs with the quality care they deserve. Our mission is to Rescue. Responsibly shelter. Rehabilitate. Rehome. Your support helps us rehome hundreds of homeless dogs across Europe each year. Thanks to you, people looking to adopt a dog can browse through the hundreds of dogs at ROLDA.

We have 700 dogs in our care (which is our capacity), and we have many different dog breeds to choose from: big, small, cute, old, young, and special needs. All these dogs are at ROLDA because of the compassionate donations we have received from Finland and other foreign countries that care about the homeless dogs in Romania.

Now it’s your turn to show Romanian homeless dogs you care!

If you live in Sweden, please use these bank number 573-0502 to make your donation today! (Association ROLDA Sverige registration no. 802490-7050). You can also help us spread the word about ROLDA!