If this image breaks your heart, imagine how it is to watch the World from the inside! No medical care. No food. No hope. No life! Abandoned, neglected, suffering in silence: they are the street dogs of Romania. You see them at the edge of the road, trying to survive. On occasions, they eat dead corps of other dogs, hit by cars.

Sometimes, it is hard to decide who are the lucky ones: those who remained to starve and hope in human’ kindness or the others, who left this life. You can read the worries and fear of a dog-mother eye. What holds the future for her puppies?

These dogs need humans, not “just” people!

Looking around, you might think you saw the worst World for a dog can be born, live into and bear with. You are wrong! Many of these dogs have no food and no warm place to stay in winter, they are full of parasites and often wounded. But they still have their freedom, the possibility to run and interact with others and the joy to feel the sun and the grass. Unfortunately, for a small percentage, life can be even crueler!

The public shelter dogs

Trapped by dog catchers, some of the dogs end up in public concentration camps where they are waiting to die. Day by day, crowded in filthy small spaces, with no sun, no fresh air and we would think – no reason of hope.

Every time these dogs see a visitor (a human being coming closer) they bark, wag their tails and leave their heads down disappointed if the visit is off and they remain imprisoned.

Being empathetic toward others’ suffering reminds us that we are humans. It is a nice feeling. The way we choose to react to help these voiceless souls might be a way to measure what’s left of our own humanity.

Respect for the dog’s lives! Will you ignore or help them?

1. Please sign the petition to put an end to corruption and abuses from the Romanian local pounds!
2. Share the petition with friends and animal activists Worldwide!
3. Help us rescue more homeless dogs. Donate!

There are thousands of street dogs suffering day after day on Romanian streets but nothing compares with the conditions of the local public shelter which can be summarized in just one word: despair. The place was a farm during the communist time and was later, used alternatively as a dog pound and storage space.

Today, it houses about 800 dogs according to the caretaker Lidia.

The dog sheltering facilities improved considerably after mass protesting, including from ROLDA supporters.  In 2013, the pound was completely renovated and additional housing spaces were built outdoors. The biggest “victory” was when the building was re-designed for better ventilation and to allow all the dogs to enjoy the sunlight, as they were living in very dark and smelly, filthy spaces.

I joined Hege to visit the public shelter a week ago when we adopted 4 dogs (one mom with a puppy, another small-size female and a puppy alone). I witnessed how the dog catchers unload the dogs from the van and how the dogs are placed in their new “homes”. For some, unfortunately, this will be their last home. I met all the dogs and I noticed a lot of being sick, wounded, and under-weighted. I also met dogs with distemper – a very contagious source, especially for unvaccinated new puppies, just brought in.

Although the kennels were clean, the water was fresh and there was not much smell – there is an obvious, complete lack of care for the dogs.  Except for Lidia – there isn’t someone to care for them. For employees, those dogs are numbers, not souls! Numbers that increase, decrease, … “just” numbers!

I’ve seen a few public shelters across Romania personally and many others in pictures. Galati public shelter is one of the best I’ve seen in terms of facilities, and handling – dogs have clean water and a source of food. But the horrifying smell of death is there, filling the air.

There are dogs that will die soon because of untreated, infected wounds. Dogs suffering from contagious diseases are waiting for their life to pass – as nobody will give them any treatment or at least humanely handle them. More, these contagious diseases will be spread to others, innocent souls catch because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A dog doesn’t need much to be happy and one has to make serious “efforts” and treat really badly a dog to make him lose hope. The feeling of hopelessness worries me the most because it shows a dead soul. The whole situation in Romania is overwhelming. ROLDA private shelters function at full capacity. Adoption rate decreased as across Romania, animal activists make efforts to place more and more dogs outside the country.

I do not know how many people will see this article as an alarm sign. Crippled souls that suffer around us should make us worried about where our humanity has gone. Thousands of years ago, the dog was tamed and became humans’ responsibility. In the present time, dogs are treated like trash by an indifferent society. Romania’s brand as a country is often equal to the street dogs. If we turn blind to shocking images or deaf to all the cries for help, the problem will not go away.

Two million street dogs suffer day by day in Romania. Some of them, we see on the streets. Some, are imprisoned in private shelters where they have some quality of life. Some others are imprisoned in public shelters from where there are only two ways out, only two ways to “set them free”: adopted or dead. Looking at all the suffering dogs I wonder when they will be set free, how and by whom?

Visitor suggestions

These are some suggestions for the shelter’ administration from a person that recently visited Galati public shelter:

Wish to make a change for these dogs YOURSELF?
● Volunteer!
● Visit the place to see the reality yourself!
● Adopt a dog!

See below the latest updates

The host/presenter of the conference was Lolita, the well-known Swiss activist for animals, who instantly accepted Marie’s invitation and showed her support from the very beginning. One of the conference sponsors was Hill’s.

More than 3 years passed until the fall, of 2013 when international public opinion was shocked by the new Romanian strays’ law and its terrible, predictable consequences.

Lolita decided to actively help some of these endangered souls and to also set up an example: We might not be able to save them all, but UNITED, we can save at least some lucky ones.

Lolita raised the funds for transporting 24 dogs in Switzerland and arranged the publicity and the logistics. She and her volunteers’ team (Anne, Christine and Mikael) as well as partner shelters assist the dogs until safely adopted in forever, individual homes.

While in the Suisse shelters, until being adopted, our dogs will benefit from full assistance provided by the shelter staff but also regular visits from Lolita and her volunteer friends.

Do you know how awful it is to be constantly hungry, sick and scared – and have nobody to care for you? To have an itchy rash that spreads all over your body, one that is so bad you scratch and tear your own hair out? But that you can do nothing about?

Have you suffered from an open fracture that goes untreated? Every movement means excruciating pain that explodes throughout your body.

You cannot ask for help, as you don’t speak the human language. You do not even know that humans could help, or that any would. You should not cry out. Your misery might attract the attention of predators, human and otherwise. There is nobody to care about, and you begin to abandon hope.

This sounds horrible. This is not something you would wish on an enemy never mind a member of your family. No living creature deserves this existence.  Like us, you are sickened if these awful things were to happen in your community.

But sadly, where I live, this is the reality for thousands of abandoned and abused dogs. They freeze during the bitterly cold winters and dehydrate during the hot summer days. They suffer in misery. Hungry, often injured, and always alone.

Their bodies are often too weak to fight even minor infections, let alone mange, the scourge of neglected dogs worldwide.

This is the fate of the street dogs of Romania.

Our rescue team is out there 24/7 to help dogs in need of immediate medical assistance.

We rescue dogs hit by cars – not all of them survive, but at least we help them not agonize at the edge of the road. Tortured by terrible pain until at last, they draw their last breath.

Dogs with broken bones, mange or other skin infections, dogs injured from fights with other dogs or abused by people. There are dogs with burns. Mother dogs with their starving babies. Puppies that will never know a full belly or a safe bed.

Abandoned, dogs with tumors, dogs without an eye or a leg. Seniors dogs. What do they have in common? They have become “dispensable objects” – garbage. We learn a lot about people when we see how their dogs have looked after. Or in the case of Romanian street dogs NOT looked after.

Every season brings an increased number of seasonal illnesses: during spring and fall, there are more cases of respiratory and skin diseases, during winter – frostbite and during summer – dehydration.

Sometimes we are overwhelmed. Often we have nightmares. But we continue to rescue these voiceless beings – because we are their last hope!

We cannot do our work alone. Help us with the most generous gift you can make at this time. You make it possible for us to continue our rescue work in Romania. The dogs and the staff and volunteers at ROLDA thank you!

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4. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
5. To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
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8. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers or employees of the organization.
9. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from the mailing list.
10. Feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

Get access to ROLDA’s Latest Financial reports page.

Do you feel like you are ready to be part of our big international family?

You decide how much you would like to contribute to the rescue of animals in need with us!

Considering that millions of dogs die in shelters every year while millions of others are the victims of abuses across the World, it takes a massive collective effort coming from communities of compassionate animal lovers to confront these cruelties and change these dogs present and future.

These are some ideas for ways you can help the dogs. Please share this page with your friends and family members interested to advocate for the animal’s cause!

Active help

1. Volunteer at ROLDA shelters!
2. Donate Air Miles for our volunteer travel to help us save our funds for life-saving missions!
3. Connect with us! Visit our online networks and help us grow!
4. Add a ROLDA banner, or video to your website, blog, or social network page! Copy & Paste the following code:

5. Online shop to help the Romanian dogs! Buy Romanian handmade products from ROLDA online shop and help our dogs!
6. Spread the word! If you are a journalist or veterinary student, visit our shelters to get inspired for your final exam!
7. Write letters to your favorite newspaper or animal magazine’ editor and tell our story!
9. Post flyers and brochures in your town: public places, stores, and events (We have English, French and German versions available)
10. Advertise our dogs for adoption! Create printable materials (small posters, flyers) to promote ROLDA dogs for adoption (we re-home dogs all across Europe).
11. Advertise our dogs on free ads websites or specific dogs ‘related websites, popular in your own community.
12. Become a sponsor! Sponsor a billboard with a ROLDA message in your community.
13. Arrange a friendly coffee or lunch to present ROLDA programs to people that care about the animals.
14. Get your local university inspired to promote the Romanian animal’s cause!
15. Sponsor our leaflets or brochures printing at your location to save time and postage costs!

Plan the future for your dogs

Include ROLDA as the beneficiary of your will read more!

1. Make a one-time donation by card to ROLDA.
2. Become a monthly donor.
3. Host a house party for Romanian dogs
4. Create a fundraising event.
5. Sell items on eBay or Amazon websites to benefit the Romanian League in Defense of Animals (ROLDA USA)
6. ROLDA USA is featured cause on GoodSearch and GoodShop websites. It’s thanks to people like you that we’re able to save hundreds of dogs each year. Now, we have an easy way for you to support ROLDA. When you use Goodshop.com to shop online, you get thousands of deals on items ranging from sports equiptment from Kmart and ink and toner from Walmart to coffee makers from Bed Bath and Beyond and we receive donations from Goodshop. This program is free, easy and a great way to save dogs from death. It only takes a moment to sign up and select the Romanian League in Defense of Animals – ROLDA as your cause. Then, shop online at your convenience and Goodshop will take care of the donations!
7. See our wishlist on Amazon!

What you can do for a global change?

1. Promote the local pet shops that do not sell puppies.
2. Check out what people are selling to benefit us when you shop on eBay.
3. Buy eco-leather, free fur products, and cosmetics not tested on animals.
4. I.D. your dogs and encourage others to do the same.
5. Turn your own garden into a “small sanctuary”: respect the wildlife!
6. Place a bowl with fresh water for thirsty wild animals during the hot summertime.

A Memorial Gift is a beautiful testimony to the life of a beloved person or pet who has passed on—and the gift of life for animals in need. It can be just the right touch for expressing compassion to someone who has had a loss.

Mihaela from the USA just made a donation “In memoriam of Rhett, a rescue dog who rescued me”!

The “Memorial Gift” can be of any amount. Make sure to select the “Memorial Gift” option and provide your honoree’s information. The amount of your gift will not be mentioned. The list of people that donated to honor someone or something will be displayed on this page for 3 years starting the day the donation was made.

Examples of specific “Memorial Gift” levels

For 200 EUR sponsor a dog for an entire year and receive a nice certificate (online, by email, or printed) from your sponsored dog as a memorial gift!

Choose between these amounts 10, 15 or 50 EUR to make a gift to a particular dog in the loving memory of a person or pet.

With 20 EUR you can name a tree in memory of a beloved person or pet. We will plant the tree for you.

For 25 EUR you can “Sponsor Them All”: hundreds of dogs in our care, donkey Ben and even Mr. Cat!

With a 10,000 EUR name, one of our 5 garden sections of your choice, or for 50,000 EUR gives a forever name to the entire ROLDA garden. Alternatively, you can name one section of our new shelter. Have a look here at the sections of the area that still need a name/sponsor.

For 5,000 EUR you can name forever a garden’s path. We have 10 paths available. For 1,500 EUR you can name a bench and for 2,000 EUR you can name a kennel.

Cookie spent years in the ROLDA shelter and nobody wanted to adopt him. He got used to sheltering routine and survived, exactly like he did on the streets before we rescue him. Cookie is a senior dog and with a shelter full of cute pups, not many people give a chance to a senior. But Avril did.

She got the precious Cookie delivered in September and when she contacted us with feedback, she brought tears to our team’s eyes. It is said that love is blind. In Avril s eyes, Cookie is looking exactly like Baloo from Jungle Book.

Yes, Cookie should meet Avril much sooner because, in a shelter, we only protect these dogs against being hit by cars, and injured, but we can’t offer them the best. With Avril, Cookie enjoys living, even if it’s just for the last years of his life. We thank you Avril and family for this happy end story and this amazing opportunity to discover the treasure inside a senior ROLDAdog!

In photos, you can see Cookie enjoying walks at the beach and long walks near someone that love him. Cookie gets lots of hugs and surprises because Avril wants to catch up on all the years they missed. And in one of the photos, you will see Cookie near his first-ever Christmas tree. He might not understand what that tree is about, but we know that Christmas miracles exist when are made possible by amazing people.

But our mission does not end here! In the ROLDA shelters, we have around 300 senior dogs that deserve a chance at life and good care in old age. We need your help, they need our care!

Ioana – and the reason why we sometimes think that animals have more soul than many people

If this dog could speak, she would say: “It’s been over 6 months since I couldn’t properly eat because I can’t close my mouth.” I can speak but I would prefer not to, especially when I have to tell you her story. However, if this dog survived for 6 months like that, I must find the energy to speak up for her. Even if it’s so painful!

When meeting the ROLDA rescue team, a tail started to wag. The tail belongs to a medium size dog that looks like a German shepherd. Her head and entire body are full of healed wounds. Yes, wounds look healed and emotionally, she is even better than she looks because she wags her tail to strangers.

Strangers who beat her, almost killing her, some months ago. Since that moment, she couldn’t close her mouth, but her head full of wounds got better, and her body stopped being in pain … months after, her mouth still couldn’t close ..and therefore she vomits everything she is trying to eat.

This dog lives in a very poor village, she is fed by the mercy of a lady that sees her every day when going to look after a 98 years old woman. The dog follows this woman back and forth to her house because this is what she knows doing – taking care of the people she loves. She ignores the danger of being hit by cars, which barely avoids her. She is following the person who gives her the rest of the meals, even if she can’t even properly eat the meals.

She is desperate for human attention even if people were beating her to death. But this doggy has good instincts because this woman turned out to be her guardian angel because a few days ago, she called to ask for help.

A woman named Ioana called me around 6 pm. She apologizes for calling so late. (It wasn’t late because some call me at 22:00 or later. Dog’s emergencies don’t run based on a “working with public” program.) The lady was calm, coherent, and spoke from her heart. She told me that she is taking care of a senior woman, located 45 km away from Galati, in a little village called Baleni.

Close to the lady, she is taking care of, it’s a very old house, more ruined and there, she found a dog hidden. She tried to remove the dog from the house and had a stick in her hand. Seeing the stick, the dog went on the belly, lying down, leaving head down, ready to be kicked. She said: How I can hit that dog, I was so impressed by how the dog left to head down… knowing that it will be hurt. I would never hurt a dog.

In the house it was dark but when the dog finally exits to light, Ioana could see the dog’s proper skin was full of wounds, and the head was also wounded; the dog was severely beaten before.

The dog is a female. She suffered a lot, Ioana said. Every day she goes to the ruin to feed the dog. The dog is always there. Probably she belongs to people who used to stay there. Even if the signs of past injuries are gone, months after, the dog continues to feel sick. Every time she eats, she vomits. I guess she has something stuck in the way to her stomach. Obviously, the dog needs urgent medical aid because she is vomiting for months!!! After every meal.

In the village, the vet only gave this poor animal some pills, which have no effect because the dog won’t take the pills and even when she does take them, she instantly vomits them.

The dog is only bones and Ioana feels sad. That’s why she called me. From Ioana’s voice, I felt this dog’s pain. Without knowing, Ioana is this dog angel on Earth – it’s the woman kind enough to never use a stick against a dog, to carry food for this dog, to protect her when she is following Ioana on the road (Ioana is afraid the dog not to injured by cars). There are many ways in which this story is special. I simply can’t decide what part moved me so deeply.