This poor tiny dog—approximately 1-year-old—was found yesterday morning covered in tar. The dog was found and reported to ROLDA by a man from a nearby military unit who heard the desperate screams of the dog as the tar was burning his skin. The dog had been wrapped in plastic and thrown in a tar pit as an apparent punishment.

The local veterinarian and ROLDA volunteers from Sweden—who were in town assisting with our September sterilization campaign—attended to the dog immediately. They’ve successfully removed his fur, which was completely covered with tar, and cleaned his burnt skin and his wounds caused by the boiling liquid.

They’ve given him antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medication, and pain medication.

Although he’s been looked after with gentle care and kindness, he is in extreme shock and stress. He cannot stop shaking from the fear and the trauma he has suffered.

We’ve named this poor dog Tarot. He has an identity, he has a soul. He has feelings just like us. He can feel pain and fear. Tarot wasn’t screaming because he’s an animal…he was screaming because hot tar was burning his entire body! Whoever did this to Tarot is inhuman and a coward! No animal deserves this!

Everyone who has attended to Tarot is also in shock. There have been many tears and broken hearts as we desperately race to save him. ROLDA is extremely grateful to everyone who has been there for Tarot!!! Together we are fighting to save him!!!

His life is at risk.

Please show your support to Tarot and the medical staff who are working night and day to save him and click on the right Donate button! Remember, it’s because of you that ROLDA can be there for emergency cases like this. If ROLDA did not exist, Tarot would have died a slow, dreadful death.

Thanks to you, we continue #givehope to helpless animals when no one else will. Please, make a small gift to help Tarot today.

P.S. You can follow Tarot’s progress on ROLDA’s Facebook page. Stay tuned for updates.

Sometimes it’s difficult to put into words the struggles of the stray dogs I encounter, especially when it comes to stray puppies. The Rescue Team and I found this brother and sister, just weeks old, near a garbage dump. The pups were trembling with fear as we approached them, but they did not move.

At first, we thought that they were so terrified of us that they froze and didn’t know what to do, but as we got closer we noticed that they were trying to run away but their hind legs wouldn’t move.

We inspected them carefully, trying to cause them as little worry as possible, and we discovered that they were covered in ticks. We immediately feared the worst: Tick paralysis.

Our veterinarian confirmed that these pups were suffering from tick paralysis. Knowing that tick paralysis can be fatal, we all prayed that these pups will pull through.

I try so hard not to torment myself with mental images of their suffering, but somehow, I just feel inhuman if I don’t. I can see these two poor souls as the only survivors of their litter, and their mother dying from giving birth, as most stray mothers do.

Now, these two defenseless newborns must have cried for days for their mother and siblings. They must have cried for someone to feed them until the hunger finally forced them to abandon the remains of their family and search for their own food. What did they eat? Where did they find water? How long were they paralyzed?

Just imagine, they were starving for weeks and during all that time they were infested with a scary amount of ticks that were not only causing them discomfort, they were feeding on their starved bodies and depriving them of what little nutrients they had left.

Rather than grow strong and healthy, this brother and sister grew weak and sick until one day they couldn’t walk anymore. It’s a miracle that we found them together. It’s like they knew that they couldn’t become separated because they needed each other every second of every day. They felt they were getting sick and chose to remain inseparable…that if they were going to perish, they were going to do it together.

Click on the right Donate button to support our cause!

There is little chance for a newborn stray dog to live more than 30 days. Their defenses are so fragile and undeveloped that any infection is fatal to them.

This brother and sister are lucky to be alive today. Tick paralysis is a rare but serious condition caused by a neurotoxin produced in the salivary gland of female ticks released into the host’s bloodstream while they’re attached and feeding. The primary treatment is to promptly remove the tick, which our vet has done. Once the ticks are removed, most dogs begin to recover their muscle strength within hours and completely recover within 3 days.

These pups have had all their ticks removed and are regaining their muscle strength. However, because of their age, we are praying these pups haven’t suffered irreversible damage to their health. We are carefully monitoring for any signs of respiratory distress and remain on standby for a quick response.

Please find it in your heart to help them!

I received a call from a man in Vanatori village frantic about a dog in terrible pain. He said he saw the dog trying to jump a metallic fence, but got stuck and broke both legs. He also said that men tried to help her, but she was defensive, not allowing them to approach her. The men got scared and left.

The man told me that he feared for the dog because she was in agony and losing a lot of blood. He also mentioned that many unfriendly strays roamed around the area and feared they could attack her, however, he said there was a big dog protecting her and licking her wounds.

I called the vet to meet me and our Rescue Team at the dog’s location right away. The vet arrived quickly and found the dog’s legs covered in blood. She had lost a lot of blood and was indeed guarded by another dog. The injured dog had to be tranquilized.

One leg may need amputation and the other seems to be healing but the vet cannot give any guarantees.
The man who called me later told me that this dog gave birth to 6 puppies last summer and that 2 died in front of her after being struck by a car. He said she was “guarding them” for days, mourning their tragic death. We named her Maia.

5 Hours in Surgery

The Saviet veterinary team operated on the graver leg first. They removed articulation, transplanted small bone fragments, and attached a temporary prosthesis. They had to leave two holes in Maia’s leg to drain the liquid post-surgery and also because she didn’t have enough healthy skin tissue for the suture. Healthy skin tissue from her abdomen will be transplanted into her leg to finalize the procedure.

Maia will have surgery on her other leg in one week. Maia’s surgeries are very complex due to the severity of her injuries. The current cost of this first phase is €1000, including discounts from Siavet (who is not charging us for the 30-day hospitalization, x-rays, and other tests).

Maia still has a long road to recovery and the outcome of her operations remains unclear, but she is receiving excellent medical attention. We are extremely grateful to have a devoted and dedicated veterinary team who is doing everything possible to save Maia.

Maia has endured a lot of suffering since her accident, but it’s comforting to know that she is surrounded by people who believe in her and who want her to get better so that she may live a long, fulfilling life. Just days ago she was hanging on by a thread on that fence while blood oozed from her shattered legs, slowly draining the life out of her.

Now, Maia has the opportunity to find a forever home with a loving family who will provide her with the delicate care she needs. But first, she patiently prepares for her next surgery. After that, Maia can begin her recovery.

If you didn’t get a chance to support Maia, you can still make a donation to help cover the costs of her medical procedures and rehabilitation. She is a brave dog who is allowing us to help her because she wants to get better.

And you can help her get better.

Thank you, kindly
ROLDA Rescue team

Seth lay in one spot unable to stand; the vet determined if Seth can walk again. Our veterinarian has informed us that he needs until next Wednesday to properly diagnose Seth’s condition in order to determine what type of surgery, treatment, and rehabilitation he will need.

Initial x-rays were inconclusive because Seth had not evacuated all his feces, but the second x-rays showed that there are no visible anomalies in his spine—which is great news. However, the vet still needs to run more tests to determine what underlying complication has paralyzed Seth. Right now, Seth can only stand on his four legs for just 5 seconds. He is wagging his tail though! Hopefully, this is a good sign for Seth.

This poor, tiny dog—who we estimate to be around 6 years old—was found out in the freezing cold, unable to stand and curling up to keep warm. His body shivered violently from the cold and the snow he laid on for hours…probably a day or two.

We don’t know for sure how he ended up in this field, but it’s most likely he was abandoned (given that he looked healthy aside from his paralysis) or walked to this spot after realizing something was wrong with him until he finally couldn’t move. We feel so fortunate to have found Seth, especially in this weather. Had he been outside like this a few days ago when the temperatures reached a low of -24C, Seth would not have survived.

We get emotional just imagining Seth spending a few minutes all alone, unable to move, feeling so helpless and desperate, barking endlessly for someone to hear his cries and come save him. But he’s here with us now, and while we patiently wait for his diagnosis, we are confident that Seth has a wonderful future ahead of him.

Please make a donation today to show Seth your support. As he waits in the clinic, we want him to feel that he has many kind people cheering for him to get well soon.

Thank you for your kindness and compassion.

6 puppies were left outside in the bitter cold to die. It’s utterly shameful, disappointing, and inconsiderate when someone doesn’t have the decency to let us know they are leaving 6 unwanted puppies outside our gates. This is a cowardly act from someone who has no regard for innocent life. Now, one puppy is dead from hypothermia, dehydration, and starvation.

The surviving 5 siblings huddled together in the cold, wet box to keep from freezing to death like their brother who lay lifeless next to them.

Can you imagine being left in a tiny box with your siblings out in the freezing cold without food or water? All of you are crying because your body starts to go numb and you grow increasingly anxious and desperate to try and keep warm. And then… your brother drops dead next to you.

You can’t even mourn him because you are paralyzed by the cold and the fear that you could be next. All you can do is bark, whimper, and cry with the hope that someone will rescue you before the harsh cold of winter consumes you too.

When we finally heard their cries and ran to them, I looked into their sad eyes, and I could feel each one of them speaking to me, all saying the same thing:

We are heartbroken that one puppy didn’t get a chance to be saved, but we are grateful for the 5 surviving souls who are now safely under our care. This is a tragedy that could’ve easily been avoided. If the person or persons, who left these puppies outside our shelters in a tiny box with a few measly straws thought they were doing the right thing, they are sadly mistaken.

But, it doesn’t help to dwell on the past. All we can do now is to remind others that if they have puppies, dogs, or any other pets or animals they don’t want, they can contact us directly. Leaving them nearby is not being responsible. Our sanctuary covers a large area, and we are a small group of staff and volunteers.

If you can make a donation today, that would be so inspiring. But if you can’t, we understand. You’ve helped us so much already and we couldn’t be more grateful.

What is dirofilaria immitis? How can ROLDA prevent and treat this fatal disease? Dirofilaria Immitis, or heartworm disease, is a serious and potentially fatal disease in domestic pets, wild animals, and humans. It’s caused by foot-long parasitic roundworms that live in the heart, lungs and associated blood vessels which cause severe lung disease, heart failure and damage to other organs. The disease is so widespread because it’s easily transmitted by mosquitoes.

Our ROLDA sanctuaries are surrounded by forest, agricultural land, and the Danube and Siret rivers, making it a favorable habitat for mosquitoes to thrive. The area is also home to hundreds of wild animals and stray dogs—all potential carriers of Dirofilaria.

Safety is the top priority at ROLDA. Every spring, we take preventative measures to protect our dogs from heartworm disease, including the use of a Mosquito Magnet which we were able to purchase last year thanks to the generous contributions we received from our supporters.

However, because the ROLDA sanctuary covers a large area, one machine cannot provide protection to feel secure. So, this year we are raising funds to purchase another Mosquito Magnet, and if you would like to contribute, you can do so here.

Help protect our dogs!

Any amount matters! With your help, we can ensure the safety of our dogs from Dirofilaria Immitis.

But even these machines cannot guarantee complete protection, especially against the vast mosquito populations in heavily wooded areas.

Thanks to our supporters, our dogs receive Advantix and Heartguard to protect them against heartworm during the warm seasons, but that still leaves thousands of stray dogs around our sanctuary unprotected and at high risk of contracting heartworm.

Meet Ken

Ken survived for days with a metal can stuck in his mouth. He was terrified, breathing with difficulty, extremely dehydrated and extremely skinny when he was saved by our ROLDA team.
It was a miracle he survived the anesthesia needed to safely remove the metal can from his mouth.
After the surgery, Ken continued breathing problems and our medical team couldn’t find the cause. Three days later, it was discovered that sadly, Ken has Dirofilaria.

Melarsomine (Immiticide) is the heartworm treatment drug with the least side effects, but, unfortunately, Ken is too weak to survive this treatment.

The vets have suggested a treatment using a combination of drugs for a minimum of 18 months, knowing that heartworms do not begin to die until 18 months of treatment have elapsed. This is the best chance Ken has to survive this fatal disease.

Help Ken and protect others from becoming like him

Thanks to our supporters, our dogs receive Advantix and Heartguard to protect them against heartworm during the warm seasons, but that still leaves thousands of stray dogs around our sanctuary unprotected and at high risk of contracting heartworm.

What is the connection between 41, 1 and 6?

A donation of €41 can protect 1 dog for a period of 6 months against this deadly disease.

The 6-month heartworm prevention treatment for all 650 dogs at our ROLDA sanctuary costs €26,415. That’s a lot of money. But a donation of €41 can protect 1 dog for a period of 6 months against this deadly disease.

How many dogs can you help protect? Any donation matters!

Millions of people, and animals, suffer and perish from starvation every day. Extreme hunger is an intense sensation that can drastically change a person’s behavior, even to the point of doing unspeakable things to feed themselves and their families. The same is true for animals.

What chances this dog would have if we wouldn’t be there to give him hope?

Ken was found in an empty field. We can only deduce that he was abandoned there, in this vastness of dirt and grass, where food and water are extremely scarce for miles. For a stray to even find a scrap of garbage to eat around here would be like finding a rare gem in a desert.

But Ken found one… and it was costly.

In this abandoned landscape lay an open can of tuna. Ken must have been starving for days before the smell of stale fish enticed him. He didn’t care if the can was months old or if it was empty, he just wanted to savor food and stop feeling hungry. We can only imagine the desperation and intensity with which.

Support Ken

Your donation matters! Click below to learn more on how you can donate for Ken or similar causes.

Now, he was unable to eat or drink anything. Now, it wasn’t just starvation that was consuming him, it was anxiety and fear.

We’re not sure how many days Ken spent like this, but by his level of dehydration, we estimate 2-3 days. We rescued him just in time. We needed to tranquilize him to take him to the vet, otherwise, it would have been risky to take him in while he was panicking.

When he awoke there was a nice warm, nutritious meal awaiting him. The metal can was safely and successfully removed from his jaw, but he remained weak, underweight, and traumatized. His breath was very faint, and our medical team is currently racing to figure out the cause.

Right now, Ken needs specialty wet food since his jaw and stomach are still very sensitive.

Seeing Ken with this can in his jaw, and his poor health and desperation, I felt like he was a “canned soul,” a kind and gentle being who wanted to escape his body, just to get away from the torment of being a stray. It’s difficult watching a helpless animal suffer, but it’s in these moments that I need to be strong and focus on being there for Ken. And that’s where I am, here by his side.

Ken needs specialty wet food

Since his jaw and stomach are still very sensitive

In the most difficult moments, some choose to stay and some run away. That’s also when you see what true friends are for. ROLDA is a responsible charity that helps abused and neglected animals in one of the poorest regions of Romania. We don’t turn our heads when seeing a malnourished, or very sick animal suffering at the edge of the road. Why? Because we are the only hope he has, his only chance to stay alive with dignity.

What chances this dog would have if we wouldn’t be there to give him hope?

I called him Nadie which means “No one” in Spanish. He had no one aside when we found him. The kids and even many adults were probably terrified to even look at him, many passed by either ignoring him “he is just a stray”… or exchanging comments like “he would be better put down”… while others find a reason to have fun “look what an ugly dog, that’s the worst I have seen”.

When I saw him, I froze. I couldn’t make any gesture and no thought came to my mind. I was in shock. By far, that was the worst case I have seen. The dog with the worst skin problems I could have seen in my life. I have seen a lot in Romania and every time, I found the power to move on, tricking my mind with thoughts like “It’s not the worst case” or “The other dog had fewer chances but we saved him” etc

In Nadie’s case, I knew from the beginning that’s the worst possible skin I have ever seen. His body is full of infected skin (due to parasites and scratching), small parts of thicker skin (probably past infected skin which healed) lot of red skin and of course, no fur. The skin around his head makes him look like a monster. He screams if we try to lift him from the ground, we have to use special gloves or improvise from very soft blankets ways to move him to the veterinary table, or back in his kennel.

Support Nadie

Your donation matters! Click below to learn more about how you can donate to Nadie or similar causes.

Courage doesn’t always mean a heroic brave act. For this dog in particular, and sadly for many others, courage is the power to survive until the next day and after that, to continue.

My mind stops before even trying to comprehend this dog’s pain or where comes this dog’s force to stay alive. The specialist opinion is that the way Nadie’s skin looks, it didn’t happen overnight. This dog suffered for weeks and weeks and her immune system, every cell of his body fought to stay alive and not die of general infection.

Together with the specialist, we decided to give Nadie a chance but there is one condition in this battle: in case his disease will re-appear, the case he suffers a chronic disease we will put him to sleep. There are chances that his liver will cease after the medicines we are going to administrate him for the next 3 months. I stay near him. I felt his breath. I know he wants to live, he is a fighter… He doesn’t have anymore the power to do it alone.   And he needs us. He needs you and you …and yes, you too.

No dog should live Nadie’s nightmare. No dog should end up in this health state. Together we can help Nadie be healthy again. Or at least give him one single chance.

I rarely start a rescue operation with the euthanasia option in my mind. I am a fighter, I feel the power given by hundreds of supporters who back me up and I know each stray we rescue is a fighter. Nadie is a special case. He is so fragile, so weak now …and from such a long time, so alone…

Nadie has only one chance to live.

To be enough strong to resist a very intensive treatment (assuming we didn’t find him already too late and his disease is not chronic) or he will be put to sleep.

To be able to tell you his story, I spent some more time near Nadie. He eats well today, with 2 little bowls of good food. He looks at you and quickly turns his head away: not in the mood for any “confrontations”. He is scared of strangers, but that’s not unusual. He is terrified to suffer more pain and already gave up scratching – all over, his body is marked with past wounds or new bleeding spots. I don’t think he gave up fighting.

I am asking you today to make a small or large donation to help Nadie, the dog who had no one and now, has only one chance. Help me keep a promise made from my heart for an amazing dog.  I aim to send you an update with Nadie so transformed that you will hardly be able to recognize him.

I left him today in a kennel placed outside, where the air is ventilated. I don’t know if I will find him tomorrow alive. Before leaving I made him a promise: I will not abandon him, and I will not let him die. Nadie needs special diet food, and antibiotics, combined with different skin treatments for the next 3 months before we will see an improvement. It takes patience, lots of money and luck.

Do you remember the puppies saved two months ago from trash? Thanks to all the great people that donated for their rescue, we can now report you the update. We named them: Andy, Charlie, Junior and Chasmine.

Andy and Chasmine after surgery.

All these names were selected by our supporters. The 5th pup didn’t survive long after being rescued. All of them suffered skin irritation, as we noticed immediately but thanks to Mette from Norway’s special food, their recovery was faster.

Two puppies (Andy and Chasmine) needed each to have one eye removed. Being young and very smart, they adapted easily to the new condition.

Junior and Charlie charmed two ladies from Germany who decided to adopt them if they pass safely the quarantine period, which they did. For the one-eye pair of puppies, we still search for the best adopters. Both will grow the medium size, are playful and sociable, clean and make efforts to learn to walk on a leash. If you wish to adopt one or both (as they get along excellently together)please contact us at rolda@care2.com

The 4 puppies are still with us for another few weeks and they would be extremely grateful (and so we would be!) for a gift of special food to give them strength and help them grow healthy.

Will you fill the bowl for one of the 4 remained pups?

Please make your gift today!

photo: Stephan with Charlie and Junior, both reserved for German families

A few days ago, Charlie and Junior welcomed a special guest, Stephan from Belgium who is an experienced activist for animals, mostly experienced with wildlife in Australia but also an active volunteer in Belgium, where he currently lives. He visited ROLDA for a few days and meet each and every dog, also joined our team during a rescue mission and fed the packs of strays from the surrounding – Stephan was fascinated by the behavior of strays in the “wild” but also shocked by the number of homeless dogs from Romania and the dangers to which they are exposed.

Do not turn your back on these puppies who have a long journey to reach their forever homes. While in our care, they have nobody else but you and us to rely on. Thank you for your support!

Click here to read Stephan’s testimonial.