When the young dog arrived at a ROLDA Rescue Team Ukraine shelter, she wasn’t bleeding. There were no obvious wounds, no visible signs of trauma that would make someone stop and say, “This animal needs urgent help.”

But our experienced veterinary team knew better.

She was lethargic, her eyes dull with exhaustion. Her body was wasting away despite attempts to feed her. Severe diarrhea and vomiting had left her dangerously dehydrated. What appeared to be general weakness was actually something far more serious: enteritis, a potentially deadly inflammation of the intestines.

For dogs already weakened by life on the streets—malnourished, unvaccinated, fighting just to survive—enteritis doesn’t need long to become a death sentence.

The Disease That Hides in Plain Sight

Enteritis attacks the lining of the small intestine, destroying the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and fluids. What follows is a devastating spiral: exhaustion, rapid weight loss, dehydration, and in severe cases—especially among puppies—death.

The causes vary. Viruses, bacteria, parasites, contaminated food or water—any of these can trigger the inflammation. In overcrowded conditions where sanitation is difficult to maintain, a single infected dog can transmit it to others, creating a chain reaction that can devastate an entire shelter.

When War Makes Everything Harder

In Ukraine, the challenges have intensified. Medical supplies are scarce. Veterinary resources are stretched impossibly thin. Volunteer teams work around the clock but are overwhelmed by the sheer number of animals arriving—frightened, injured, malnourished, and often carrying diseases that went untreated on the streets.

In these circumstances, enteritis can go unnoticed, mistaken for simple malnutrition or general weakness until it’s far too late. By the time symptoms become impossible to ignore, the dog may already be in critical condition.

The war has created the perfect conditions for enteritis to spread: high numbers of stray dogs, limited access to veterinary care, overcrowded temporary shelters, and the constant struggle to maintain proper sanitation when resources are scarce.

Breaking the Chain

Here’s what gives us hope: enteritis is treatable when caught early.

With proper care—vaccinations, deworming, parasite control, clean environments, and quick intervention at the first signs of illness—we can stop this invisible killer before it takes hold. In our shelters, consistent preventive care has saved countless lives that otherwise would have been lost to this devastating disease.

But prevention requires resources. Vaccines. Clean water. Proper food. Veterinary attention. Space to isolate sick animals before they infect others.

Every Dog Deserves a Fighting Chance

That young dog who arrived weak and fading? With early detection and treatment, she survived. She’s one of the lucky ones—but only because the resources were available when she needed them most.

Right now, more dogs are arriving every day, facing the same battle. Your support ensures we can provide the preventive care and early treatment that makes the difference between life and death.

Support our veterinary care fund to help us continue protecting vulnerable dogs from enteritis and other preventable diseases. Because the dogs who survive war, abandonment, and starvation shouldn’t lose their lives to a disease we know how to treat.

The shack was barely standing—four broken walls and a collapsing roof on the outskirts of Tulcea. Inside, curled into the darkest corner, was Mira.

A tourist passing through spotted movement in the ruins and knew immediately something was wrong. They contacted a local man, who didn’t hesitate to reach out to our partners at The Great Catsby. When the rescue team arrived and finally coaxed the terrified cat into the light, what they saw stopped them in their tracks.

Mira was missing half of her hind leg. A horrifying wound had consumed most of her nose. Her body was so frail, so small, that rescuers assumed they were looking at a kitten. Only later would the vet confirm the heartbreaking truth: Mira was around three years old. Starvation and suffering had stolen her size, her strength, and nearly her life.

She was rushed straight to the clinic. Blood tests. Deworming. Emergency neutering. A tissue sample from her nose was sent to the lab—the vet fears it may be cancer. Now we wait for results, holding onto hope while preparing for whatever comes next.

When Trust Returns
Despite everything she has endured—the abandonment, the pain, the terror of surviving alone—Mira is showing quiet signs of strength. She has begun to eat again. She accepts gentle touch from the team caring for her.
Every small gesture of trust feels like a miracle.

The Reality Beyond One Cat
Mira’s story could have ended in that broken shack, her suffering invisible to the world. But every day across Romania, countless cats and dogs face this same cruel reality: abandoned, injured, left to survive or die alone.

ROLDA and our like-minded animal rescue partners refuse to accept that this is simply how things must be. With every rescue, every surgery, every animal given safety and care, we are rewriting stories that once seemed destined to end in silence.

Mira now has what she was denied for so long—a fighting chance. A chance to heal, to trust again, to discover that life can offer more than pain and fear.

Will you help us give this chance to the next Mira?
Your support ensures that when we receive that call about an animal in desperate need, we can answer with action instead of apologies.

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.

One of the most recent cases we have been asked to help with is Mica, a little cat whose life has sadly taken a sudden and brutal turn.

The woman who contacted us had often seen Mica wandering near her apartment block. The woman noticed Mica’s belly beginning to swell and grow steadily larger for several months. The woman was somewhat surprised. She believed Mica had already been spayed during one of last year’s campaigns. So she thought the spaying had not worked, or it might be something such as internal parasites. She could not afford a vet visit and tried a few herbal remedies, but nothing helped.

When she reached out to us, Mica’s belly had become so enlarged that even moving was difficult for her. We knew she needed urgent veterinary help.

We rushed her straight to the vet clinic with a phone call en route to discuss the situation and arrange a priority consultation. Even the veterinary team was shocked by the size of her stomach when we arrived. Instant blood tests came back without significant problems, but the ultrasound showed her abdomen was full of fluid. A sample confirmed it was not normal fluid, but mixed with blood and tissue fragments. With no clear answers, the vets decided to operate and see what was going on.

What they discovered was heartbreaking. Mica had never been spayed, and her entire reproductive system was severely inflamed and infected, causing the enormous fluid buildup. The vets removed everything, drained her abdomen and kept her on fluids and medication. She looked exhausted and frail after surgery, but she finally had a chance to recover.

Then came another devastating discovery. When the uterus and ovaries were examined, they found a large cauliflower-shaped tumour. Cancer. The tumour has been sent to the lab, and we are waiting for results.

For now, Mica is stable. She is under close monitoring, receiving treatment, and slowly beginning to recover. It will take time before she feels strong again, but she is showing her fighting spirit.

Mica’s case is a harsh reminder of how important it is to notice when an animal is in trouble. Her story could have ended very differently. The discovery of cancer has made her road ahead uncertain, but at least she now has a chance. She is no longer alone on the streets but is receiving treatment and comfort. With time and care, we hope she has many more days filled with safety and kindness ahead of her.

From discussing abandoned dog rescues to sharing lessons through football, Dana Costin guides the conversation with the podcast host, highlighting empathy, dedication, and the power of small actions to make a difference.

1. What is your first memory of an animal?
My first memory is of a half-breed dog named Suru. He was a big dog, or at least that was how he seemed to me, and I was around 4 or 6 at the time. I thought of him as my dog, although he belonged to my aunt and my grandmother, who lived in the countryside. His fur was grey and white. He was very gentle and had the warmest eyes, ones I will never forget.
My first memory is of sitting with him on the front door steps and sharing a plain crescent roll—one piece for me, one for him. Unfortunately, he died from poisoning on the village road, like many dogs used to die back then in the 90s, and some still do in the rural parts of the country.

2. Which was the most beautiful and most impactful moment in football?
Liverpool – Olympiakos, final score 3 – 1, in December 2004. It was the first time I saw Steven Gerrard from Liverpool playing. I instantly appreciated him, and despite his retirement, he is still the best football player I have ever seen on the field. He had a style similar to mine (amateur level), with long, gorgeous passes and compelling long-distance shots. I, too, used to love to shoot from a distance—so much so that I used to practice long-distance shots for hours, alone, with no help, in any kind of weather.
If I’m not mistaken, in that match, for Liverpool to advance in the group, they had to beat Olympiakos by two goals. The 3 to 1 goal was a superb kick Gerrard did from approximately 25 meters from the goalpost. I liked it so much that I have been a Liverpool supporter ever since. That season of the Champions League also included that epic final match against Milan, in which the Italians led 3 to 0 at halftime.

3. Your biggest football-related disappointment?
There are two of those. Both are related to the Romanian National Football team. With the first one, I was a child, and it was during the World Championship in America, in 1994. I was eight at the time, and after the legendary victory of Romania against Argentina, I fell asleep. And I fell asleep so deeply that my mother did not manage to wake me up to show me out the window the thousands of people pouring down the streets, going down to the house of Daniel Prodan’s parents, who lived two streets down from us. I was highly disappointed that I did not get to see them.
I consoled myself at the thought of the coming match with Sweden. I cannot and will never forget our goalkeeper, Florin Prunea’s blunder, which cost us a monumental qualification in the semifinals of that world championship. After the Argentina match, my mother could not wake me up, then after the one with Sweden, she could not stop me from crying… I never saw a giant crowd of people like the one I missed after the Argentina match.
My second big disappointment was during the next World Championship, the one in France, when we were knocked out in the Round of 16 by Croatia, with a 1-0 score, after a successful penalty shot from Davor Suker, a player I liked, apart from that particular match. I cried after that match also 😊
I used to experience every one of the National team’s matches with great intensity, probably due to the naivety of my age. At the Euro 2000, when we defeated England 3-2, before the penalty shot, I watched with the prayer book in my hands, actively praying for victory. After Ganea’s goal, I ran out on the balcony and, in my burst of excitement, I slammed against the balcony railing. My mom thought I had fallen off 😊. I’m laughing now, but she did not laugh then, not at all 😊

4. What do you think about the connection between young kids, junior players, and animals? What are your conclusions from what you heard from the guests?
There are two nuances here: young people’s general connection with animals and football players’ connection with animals. As far as young people go, in general, I discovered through podcasts positive aspects like young people who love and respect animals, as well as deeply concerning things about young people who disregard animals, torture, and even kill them in ruthless ways.
I have only heard good and interesting things regarding football players and their bond with animals, especially with dogs. Namely, these kids are more responsible, work harder, are more empathetic, and are more prone to sacrificing and making an effort for the team. I got this feedback from a football coach working with 50 children. It’s not scientific research, but I believe that animals can positively impact the attitude and lives of young people, regardless of the types of extra-curricular activities they do.

5. Your vision on the ideal team (active professional players): 11 players, no reserves
I will devise a 4-3-3 system: Allison Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Radu Dragusin, Théo Hernandez, Jude Bellingham, Pedri, Luka Modric, Salah, Lewandowski, Yamal.

6. How do you think/hope that your podcasts are changing our world?
I think and hope that they do at the same time. I think they help the world we live in and the animals by promoting education. At least in Romania, education on the animal world, from needs to specifics, from acceptance to respect, is lacking.
People still don’t understand that Romania is a country of abandoned dogs. They don’t even want to understand. This is because the subject is of no interest to them whatsoever. They think it does not affect them in any way, but they are wrong because everything is connected when it comes to life and the well-being of a nation. Romania would be a country with better-educated and just better people if the problem of stray cats and dogs were fixed.
I hope that my podcast is changing the world because I want the messages I promote in these podcasts to reach as many people as possible, slowly. If out of one hundred people, only one understands, has an epiphany, and decides to do something about this, it is already a massive gain.
This is mainly because that person will no doubt influence those around them; if they have children, they will educate them to respect and love animals. The message will reach across generations because their children will also teach them to love animals. So, I believe podcasts have great power, including the power to change the world.

7. Name one cause that would determine you to change the world around you (other than ROLDA).
I think about this cause very often. It is an enormous and significant cause for us, and one that people are completely ignoring. It is called Terra, our planet, our only home. And I don’t say this because I want to come off as a wise benefactor, but because I have been passionate about astronomy since I was a child. I have understood ever since the universal perspective, the position and the place our planet holds in the Universe. As a planet, we are tiny and vulnerable compared to the violent and endless Cosmos. Yes, I know, the Universe is beautiful, but also very chaotic and aggressive. And what do we do in our own home? We willingly destroy it, and we are slowly wiping ourselves out as a species. We don’t believe in the danger of deforestation, pollution, global warming, or the role and importance of animals in the ecosystem. I know it is a science fiction scenario, but we might have to look for a new home sooner to continue living as a species.
We don’t think about this because we are stuck on national beliefs only intended to exploit and make money—beliefs that often encourage ignorance, manipulation, corruption, and wars. We will never evolve as a species unless we develop planetary consciousness. Let’s all put the planet first and forget about borders. This would also mean a planet without famine and wars; unfortunately, we are far from that. We might need 1000 more years to get to that point.
Maybe we won’t see the day our actions destroy the planet, and neither will our children, their children, or their grandchildren. But we must think about this problem and try to fix something.

8. How would you teach a dog anything about football?
I wouldn’t want to teach a dog anything about football if this meant forcing anything about his nature and instincts. I don’t think a dog would have to know too much about football, unless we are talking about basic play. I don’t even want to think about ball tricks or other aberrations.
Of course, dogs need basic training, and I would leave it at that. However, I would teach him to play with the ball outdoors and rejoice with me when our favorite team scores a goal indoors. I would teach him that football means joy.
Also, a moderate reaction to the joy of a goal. If you shout like a Neanderthal, your furry friend is bound to get a different idea about you and football.

9. How would you educate the world of football to support animals?
I would try to explain to them more than just the animals’ plea. I don’t know whether people realize it, but football can be a real ‘weapon’ for peace. This sport is so popular worldwide that it could bring forward any of the world’s major problems, and people would better understand and educate themselves even on matters they now choose to ignore.
For example, in Romania, football players help raise awareness about abandoned dogs in campaigns right before matches. But these cases are isolated. There would have to be a national campaign in this sense.
How would I educate the people in football about the cause of animals? There are many methods, but only one comes to mind more clearly. Namely, I would convince more world football celebrities to speak in press conferences or after the matches on the cause. It is not easy because, even here, personal interests, branding deals, financial issues, and more get in the way.
But I only think about what it would be like if Messi, once he is done playing football, had his own podcast about dogs (I know he loves dogs) in which he would tell people to stop abandoning and to start sterilizing dogs. I don’t think his words would be ignored.

10. What message would you send to a football idol (someone no longer living) to do differently and change the story he has already written?
A complicated question, but Duncan Edwards comes to my mind. Have you ever heard of Duncan Edwards? He used to be one of the players of Manchester United who died in the plane crash in Munich in 1958. He was 21.
This player fascinates me because I have heard several football experts say that he would have become, without a doubt, the greatest footballer of all time! It seems he was extraordinary in every position on the field, except as a goalkeeper.
My message to him would be not to get on that plane. I would have loved to see him and see whether he had become the greatest footballer.

11. Maradona: Legend or cheat?
The answer to this question is not complicated, but it is complex. Maradona was, without a doubt, a legend of world football.
The hand of God? Yes, you can clearly see in the footage that it was handball, and that goal won Argentina’s World Cup in 1986. Understandably, 90% of the planet can blame him, but if you try to empathize, you can see the patriotism, the ‘fanaticism’, and the ‘despair’ to do anything and everything for his country to win the World Cup. Suarez almost did the same thing at the 2010 World Cup when he stopped a ball on the goal line with his hand, knowing he was not a goalkeeper and would get a red card—everything for his country.
It’s easy to judge, but, without going into details, life has taught me that severe addictions people have for specific products are mainly caused by disease and trauma from childhood and more. Who am I to judge the effects of another person’s traumas?
Maradona himself says in a documentary that he would have been a greater footballer had he not struggled with addiction. Maybe it’s better for the beauty of football that Maradona wasn’t bigger. Why? Because then people would only say about Messi that he merely managed to match Maradona. But now, as far as I am concerned, Messi is greater even than Maradona.

In conclusion, Maradona is a football legend who loved the sport with all his being and who fought with all his might against the demons that did not want him to play anymore.

Not long ago, we received a message from a man in Brăila asking for our help. Not one, but two new mother dogs and their puppies were living in terrible conditions, stray, alone and barely surviving. He felt they were likely to start dying soon if left in their current circumstances. We were all immediately determined to save them and so offered to help.

With gentle coaxing and patience, he managed to collect all of the puppies and one of the mothers. When they arrived at our shelter, we placed them straight into quarantine. The pups were tiny, frightened, and shaking with every touch. At first, they cried constantly and bared their tiny teeth in fear, unsure if they could trust anyone. But after being washed, dewormed, and, of course, fed, their little worlds began to change. Today, they are calm, no longer cry at night, and no longer try to defend themselves against the protection, love and warmth they are offered here.

The second mother, a black dog, was much more challenging to reach – something we tried ourselves by driving out to visit her. For days, she refused help, too frightened to let anyone near, watching with wary eyes and keeping her distance.

When we finally gained some of her trust, we discovered the pain she was in. As we began to get closer, the extent of her pain became heartbreakingly clear. A cruel wire had twisted tightly around her leg, cutting so deeply into the flesh that every step must have been agony. Her body was thin and exhausted, her movements hesitant, as if she was bracing for more pain. Most heartbreaking of all was her eye, so severely injured that it was invariably blind. Terrified and weak, she stood trembling at any sudden movements, engrossed in fear.

Eventually, she was convinced to let us hold her. She was taken straight into surgery, where the injured eye was removed and the wound on her leg carefully treated. Since then, her recovery has been steady and encouraging. Each day her body grows a little stronger, her energy returns, and her trust in the people around her slowly builds. She is starting to trust that life no longer has to be a constant fight for her or her puppies.

Now that both mothers and their puppies are safe, their next chapter can begin. The pups are growing up without fear, and the mothers can finally rest, knowing their little ones are cared for and will be fed.

Our greatest hope is that one day soon, they will each find the comfort of a forever home, surrounded by love and compassion. Until then, they remain with us, healing, growing stronger, and surrounded by kindness made possible by you and others with the compassion to support our work.

Joker, a stray Romanian dog, had stumbled across the building of his dreams. Taking up solo residence in the courtyard of an old multi-story apartment block, Joker was quickly doted upon by several elderly ladies.

All at age seventy-five or above, these sweet women collectively and informally took Joker into their care, looking after the stray as best as they could. Scraps of food filled Joker’s days until one day something horrible happened. Joker was hit by a car in the street outside.

Immediately, his guardian angels jumped into action and reached out to us for help. We rushed Joker to our emergency veterinary clinic, where the most seriously ill and injured animals are helped. Joker was in terrible shape. He had several fractures on his paw, a dislocated joint and a ligament rupture. The accident had put him in immense pain, but even worse, we did not know if he would ever be able to walk on his injured paw again.

The only option was surgery and long-term treatment. Now, after his first surgery, Joker is on his path to recovery. Every day, Joker’s wound is cleaned, treated with a special ointment, and followed by his prescribed medication.

So far, Joker seems to be recovering well. During his most recent checkup, an X-ray revealed that the bone is healing well without any complications. In another ten days, we will return to the clinic once again. If all goes well, the structure that is currently supporting his injured leg will be removed.

We have high hopes that with lots of care, love and determination, Joker might one day be able to use his paw comfortably again.

And when that day comes, we will find him the forever home he so deeply deserves. A place where he will no longer have to rely on scraps or sleep on cold pavement, but instead be surrounded by warmth, safety, and unconditional love. Joker may have once been a stray, but his future holds the promise of family, comfort, and the peaceful life every dog dreams of.

Styopa’s eye could not be saved

Meet Styopa, whose name means “crown” — and he’s proven himself worthy of it.

When a car struck Styopa, the impact was devastating. Frightened, injured, and losing his eye, he tumbled into a nearby hole where most would have given up hope. But despite not being able to jump or climb out, Styopa didn’t give up. For an entire week, this brave soul held on.

What kept him alive wasn’t just his fighting spirit — it was the kindness of one local woman who discovered him. Day after day, she visited to bring him food and water, even though she couldn’t physically lift him to safety. Her compassion became his lifeline.

When our local rescue partner Inessa learned about Styopa, she knew every moment counted. The rescue team immediately mobilized, carefully lifting him from that hole and rushing him to the veterinary clinic. By then, his injured eye could not be saved, but his spirit remained unbroken.

Dr. Stepu worked into the night, performing emergency surgery to remove the damaged eye and prevent infection. As I write this, Styopa has a drainage tube where his eye once was, but something remarkable has happened — he’s already feeling better. He’s eating, responding to gentle touches, and showing us that survival is just the beginning of his story.

Styopa recovering and happy in the warm, calm, loving veterinary surgery

Experiencing Styopa’s journey from a roadside hole to a warm clinic bed reminds us again why this work matters. Because of supporters like you, we could act swiftly. Because of your generosity, Dr. Stepu had the resources to operate immediately. Because of your compassion, Styopa — this “crowned” survivor — gets to write the next chapter of his life.

Barsik’s head was painfully locked to one side

Picture a cat unable to look straight ahead — whose world had become permanently tilted to one side. This was how animal rescuer Lyudmila first encountered the stray cat Barsik on the streets of Ukraine, and the sight broke her heart.

Barsik’s head was locked in an unnatural position, twisted sideways as if frozen in perpetual confusion. Along with a painful abscess and an infected wound on his tail, this little fighter was trapped in his own body.

But Lyudmila saw beyond the twisted posture to the soul beneath. She gently scooped up Barsik and gave him the name that means “little leopard” — because she recognized the fierce spirit hiding inside this broken form.

At the veterinary clinic, Barsik’s mystery unfolded a little. An inflamed bone near Barsik’s ear had been causing excruciating pain, forcing him to hold his head in that heartbreaking sideways position just to find relief. For who knows how long, he’d been living in a world viewed only from an angle, unable to experience the simple dignity of holding his head high.
Surgery was Barsik’s only hope for freedom. As he went under anesthesia, it wasn’t just his inflamed bone being treated — it was his chance to see the world straight again.

Barsik’s surgery was able to swiftly release him from a life of discomfort and pain

Today, thanks to Lyudmila’s compassion and your support of the ROLDA Rescue Team, Barsik is healing. Now this little leopard can lift his head with pride, turn it freely in any direction he chooses, and look directly into the eyes of those who saved him.

Sometimes healing means straightening what pain has twisted. That’s exactly what love did for Barsik. And it has also unlocked his warm, comforting purr, confirming he is once again content in himself.