Most people imagine an animal shelter relies financially on large sponsorships and emergency appeals. How else could someone afford to feed hundreds of animals every month?

But what if we told you it’s actually small monthly donations from thousands of people, not a few large donations from a handful of companies or wealthy individuals? That we actually keep the lights on and have never had to call for emergency fundraising to keep our residents from starving because of regular people like you?

Don’t get us wrong, sponsorships and large donations are extremely valuable. But they are usually great at solving immediate problems. Consistent donations, on the other hand, give us stability and the possibility to cover recurrent expenses.

Building Solutions Instead of Fighting Emergencies

When an animal rescue first starts, every case feels like an emergency. And it is—when you’ve just rescued a dog from a dangerous situation and realized it now needs medical care, food, and shelter. What do you do when your own resources cannot cover these expenses? You reach out to someone who can help.

You do this once, but then you get the urge to save another dog because you don’t have the heart to walk away. And once again, you need help covering the expenses; everything is urgent and needs an immediate solution.

Then the same thing happens with the next few cases. But what happens next separates organizations that thrive from those that go on to struggle. The way you handle each case, how you use every resource, and the level of care you put into each rescue becomes your calling card. The organizations that truly commit to helping their residents and using every resource responsibly are the ones that thrive.

This approach attracts people who are willing to give their time and money to a worthy cause—especially to an organization that puts their generosity to good use.

Once smaller donations become consistent, we know the funds we can rely on, and we can rescue more animals, work to give them better living conditions, and even expand our shelter. This is where you move from a constant state of emergency for everything that needs to be done into a phase in which you are thinking and applying solutions.

Community Building Through Monthly Donations

One-time donations are amazing. They often provide a welcome boost, and we get to do what we had planned sooner, better, or bigger. They are usually unplanned, and they come as an unexpected but very welcome surprise.

On the other hand, people who make monthly donations also check in on our activity, keep tabs on the dogs we rescue, adopt from a distance, and actively help raise awareness about the wonderful things we do for our residents.

Their involvement helps us think and plan because we know we have an entire community looking in on us and making sure we can keep to our plans. One-time donations can also help us in this respect now and again, but it’s good to know we are part of something bigger when we are trying to do more to help our dogs.

Thinking Ahead and Covering All the Needs of Our Residents

When we know our work is backed by a community of supporters who are interested in what we do to help the animals, not only what we do with their money, we can think ahead.

For an organization like ours, there are many things we could be thinking ahead about. For example, since we are a strictly no-kill organization, what happens to the dogs nobody wants to adopt? Some of our residents have suffered from such traumatic accidents that they will need expensive medical assistance their entire lives. Others might never learn to trust people enough to be good and safe companions. What happens to these unadoptable dogs?

ROLDA becomes their permanent home. This means that we are responsible for their care and support as long as they live. This includes food, shelter, medical supplies, surgery, and any treatments the veterinary team deems necessary.

Consistent donations and supporters who follow our work, even by sponsoring dogs from a distance, truly help.

Giving Every Dog the Care They Need

Recurring donations ensure we have the financial stability to cover expenses that would otherwise be impossible to cover on emergency funding alone. Many of these costs come from caring for residents with particular needs. The same applies to our preventive work: vaccinations, parasite prevention, and completing prescribed treatments.

When you operate on emergency funding alone, these expenses can hardly be covered because you need to cover the big stuff. And big stuff always comes along.

Monthly Donors Are Part of the Success Story of Every Dog in Our Shelter

We could not have daily activity at our shelter without consistent monthly donations because it would be too challenging to plan around money you don’t know you have—or whether it’s coming at all.

But, just like our permanent staff shows up daily to take care of the dogs, to feed them, to administer medication, to keep their water bowls fresh and clean, to clean their kennels, to take the residents for walks, to carry out their rehabilitation programs, and so on, monthly donors show up by providing the resources that make all of this possible.

One team cannot function without the other, but together we make miracles come true for defenseless animals nobody else stands up for.

Lasting change is not built through occasional moments of generosity alone. It is built through consistency— bowls full of food every day, running water, electricity, heating, clean kennels, successful surgeries, rehabilitation sessions, and the quiet confidence that every dog in our care will continue receiving everything they need tomorrow, next month, and next year.

What do you think? Is the impact of recurring support dramatic?

In June, Dana returned once more to the troubling front lines of Ukraine. I’ve tried here to retell her latest journey across the border as she shared it with us…

The air back in Ukraine carried the same tension as always—nervousness, insecurity, and the expectation that everything could become very bad in a second. Dana and Ruslan’s mission was routine by now: move quickly, stay alert, and rescue as many animals as possible, and take them to safety.

For them, these recurring trips together are forged by necessity and purpose. They’ve made this dangerous drive so many times now that the rhythm of it almost feels normal. As they weave through military checkpoints and battered roads, conversations drift between risk, tactics, and the hope that this time, maybe, they’ll find fewer animals in need. Or at least fewer with severe, life-altering injuries.

But these routine trips can pack a lot of unpredictable moments. What looks like just another animal rescue mission is anything but ordinary. For Dana and Ruslan, this repetition is what allows them to keep moving forward, to keep saving lives when the world around them is falling apart—because rescuing these innocent animals, again and again, for them, is a refusal to let cruelty and chaos become normal.

And so, each journey—no matter how familiar—reminds them why they return: because every animal, every life, is worth saving.

A Kitten in the Frontlines

Though familiar, every one of these missions is unique. This time, a kitten found on the frontlines captured their hearts, and the hearts of military men and women exhausted from battle.

Dana and Ruslan found the kitten on the outskirts of a shelled-out village. He couldn’t have been more than eight weeks old, with black-grayish fur and wide, unblinking eyes that seemed to question everything. He was hiding amongst the wreckage, his fur dusted with ash, but his spirit unbroken. Dana carried him into the van, where he nestled into her lap, playfully trying to grab Dana’s hands, as Ruslan drove off in a hurry.

Along the way, they checked the kitty and treated him for dehydration, then left him in good hands with local Ukrainian military who were more than happy to take him in. Ruslan and Dana still had a lot of ground to cover and many more animals to rescue—taking the kitty would’ve been too much of a risk. By the time the two of them pulled away, the kitty was already feeling at home in the arms of his new companions, enjoying the attention.

There are no small rescues in a war zone. Every life saved returns hope back into a landscape torn by violence. And each van full of displaced and injured animals always reminds Dana and Ruslan what it means to choose compassion over fear.

Sometimes, as Dana returns to her home in Romania from the battered villages of war-ravaged Ukraine, she wonders how many more trips lie ahead. How many times will she and Ruslan risk their lives making these journeys? Will the war end soon, or will these cross-border rescue missions become an indefinite part of her life? Each time she sets out, she hopes it might be the last, that peace will return, and her work will no longer be needed—at least not due to human-made conflicts.

But with every new mission, the uncertainty grows heavier, a reminder that for now, there’s no clear end in sight and many animals still need her and Ruslan’s help.

Every one of our residents has a story. And it either begins with them being abandoned by their owners or their parents being abandoned by their owners. So, every time we rescue a new stray dog from the streets, we try to figure out when it happened, how long the dog has been on its own, and what may have happened to it in the meantime.

But it all keeps coming back to the same abandonment issues and the fact that, to this day, people still have no problem in simply discarding the dogs they no longer want to take care of.

Sure, we now have laws sanctioning those caught abandoning animals. Still, even if just a few people do this and also skip out on sterilizing and neutering their dogs, we are in for a whole new generation of stray dogs we need to pick up from the street and rehome on our own.

Things may be different now than they were in the 1990s, for example, but we live with the acute knowledge that things can go back to how they used to be very quickly. What could stop this?

Responsible dog ownership.

Why Responsible Dog Ownership Is the Only True Solution

Even if we took in ten times more dogs and, by some miracle, found homes for them, we still could not fix the problem if some people still abandoned unsterilized dogs.

The answer is never the capacity of good people to fix what is broken, but building up against things breaking in the first place. This is why responsible dog ownership is so important. When it comes to stray dogs, owners are both the cause and the solution.

What It Means to Be a Responsible Dog Owner

When you make a list of all the things responsible dog owners need to do to provide for their pets, it looks like a lot of stuff. But not everything is a daily requirement; some are periodic, or even general. In other words, you might not have to do all these things every day, but you must do them. Period.

The reason we emphasize this aspect is that we usually meet three types of people:
1. Those who know exactly what dog ownership is about and are ready to take on the responsibility for as long as the dog remains in their lives – which means until the end of the dog’s life.
2. Those who panic about the list being too long and start having second thoughts.
3. Those who approach all these responsibilities enthusiastically for about two weeks. Then, things begin to tire them, bore them, feel too difficult, too different from what they were used to, and they would love for things to go back to how they were before.

While people in the first category are veteran dog owners, we usually like to address those in the second category and point out that we appreciate their willingness to go over the list of things needed to take good care of their canine companion.

So, let us be the bearers of good news and split a long list into categories.

General

– Shelter. This means that, just like you provide a home for yourself, you need to make room for a little dog by your side. It doesn’t sound so overwhelming when you find out you are already doing that, isn’t that right?
– Lifelong commitment. Dogs are a lifelong responsibility. (Well, their ‘forever’, because you will most likely outlive them.) This means that even if you get your dog as a cute little puppy, you are expected to take care of them when they are vulnerable and when they are old as well. It is a package deal.

One-Time Responsibilities

– Microchip your friend so they will be easily returned to you in case you get separated.
– Spay or neuter your dog.

Occasional Responsibilities

– In case of an accident or illness, responsible pet owners are expected to rush their dogs immediately to the vet.
– Provide care and follow the recommendations of the veterinarian, if needed.
– Periodic veterinary checkups for screenings, parasite prevention, and vaccinations.
– Make temporary care arrangements for the animal if you need to leave home or travel and you cannot take them.

Daily Responsibilities

– Providing fresh water and food
– Exercise and walks
– Playtime, cuddles, and mental stimulation.

Once you and your new friend settle into your routine – one that may take more than a few weeks to establish – life will feel easy once again. Only this time, it will have been enriched with a companion that cannot wait to be around you as much as possible.

Sounds like an incredible deal, if you ask us.

Why Do Dogs Become Homeless?

This is the part that makes us particularly angry. If we think of ourselves as being on the other end of the struggle, where we need to find solutions for every dog that comes into our care, abandonment is ridiculously easy. Not because it is emotionally easy to stop caring for an animal, but because the situations that can lead to abandonment are often easier to fall into than people realize.

Throughout the years, we have studied these cases extensively. Here are some of the most common causes for dog abandonment.
– Accidental litters from unneutered animals.
– Financial hardship
– Owners moving or losing the family home with relocation to a place that does not allow animals (like a shelter or a relative’s house)
– Illness or death of the owner
– Unrealistic expectations about dog ownership.

As unfortunate as they all are, not all scenarios are completely unpreventable. With careful planning and attention, owners could even overcome some of these situations. ROLDA is just one organization that intervenes to help struggling dog owners in an attempt to get ahead of the actual abandonment.

Preventing Abandonment Before It Happens

The main problem with abandonment is that it has a multiplying effect. As in, one unsterilized dog someone carelessly abandons will lead to a new litter of homeless pups. Meanwhile, we struggle to rescue and rehome our residents one at a time. This is why we are so invested in this issue.

Ways in Which We Try to Prevent Abandonment

Sterilization Campaigns

Unwanted litters are a problem for dog owners as well. Imagine struggling to feed one dog and suddenly ending up with five or seven more. Yet, despite how problematic this situation would be for many people, there are still owners who do not spay or neuter their dogs. Whatever their reasons, we organize free sterilization campaigns and help as much as we can.

Temporary Assistance During Financial Hardship

We are often asked why we would step in and financially help dog owners when we could be using the money to provide for the dogs in our shelters. However, how we see it, one abandonment prevented means one less dog to pick up from the streets, shelter, treat, and prepare for adoption. Why go through the entire process when we can help their current owners keep them?

Asking for Help in Difficult Situations

As mentioned before, some situations are out of the control of dog owners. And we understand. The death of the owner, of another family member, the loss of the home, or someone in the family being diagnosed with an illness – all of these are scenarios that require a drastic rethinking of the family resources. Nobody wants this, but it’s survival, not comfort. In these situations, we would much rather the dog be surrendered to us instead of having him go through the traumatic experience of being abandoned.

Thorough Vetting before Adoption

Don’t think that just because we are such experts in rescue and adoption, we did not have some of our dogs returned or, worse, abandoned. But we have grown a lot in our activity, and we have learned to ask the difficult questions to make sure future owners don’t have unrealistic expectations about life with a pet.

Education Campaigns

Things are different now than they were when we first set up ROLDA. They are still not ideal, but even we can notice a shift in owners’ attitudes toward their pets. We could even say that we feel like we are not talking to the same type of people.

But this did not change overnight. It was a process that took time, determination, and someone actually stepping in to assume the responsibility of teaching people about the proper ways to treat their pets.

Despite what we may have come to think at some point, homeless dogs are not an inevitable reality. And even situations that are close to abandonment can be avoided. If people chose to sterilize their pets, if they chose to provide proper veterinary care instead of letting health issues develop into situations they cannot handle, and if they reached out to organizations such as ours when things become difficult, there would be fewer dogs on the streets. But, most importantly, if people truly committed to caring for their pets for the rest of the animals’ lives, that would be the massive change we want to see.

Being a shelter dog volunteer typically involves spending the day with adorable rescue dogs, playing, petting, giving treats, and taking walks. This is the usual perception of the role.

Well, in all fairness, it is about these things, but also about so much more.

Being a dog shelter volunteer is about consistency and being dependable. Volunteers are a valuable resource for the shelter’s permanent staff, and their time is factored in just like every other resource we have at our disposal.

How Volunteer Work Is Divided

Everybody is good at something, and keeping that in mind is what gives us the best results when working with people. This is especially true when dealing with people who give us their time voluntarily.

And when dealing with complex operations like ours, help is needed in every department. Some people are great with dogs; others are great at management, organizing tasks, fundraising, or social media to raise awareness of the amazing work we do.

To maximize what you can get from every volunteer – as we do with every other resource – it’s important to adopt a two-tier approach to volunteering.

First tier – what the person excels at and feels most at ease doing at the shelter. This includes activities performed effortlessly, without stress, effort, or difficulty.

For instance, if we have an introverted person who is perfectly comfortable doing manual labor in feeding the dogs and keeping the kennels clean, it would probably be a bad idea to have that person call up potential donors and discuss fundraising if that would be something they felt they were not good at. Or even something they hated. Imagine them having to do videos for social media when they are camera-shy.

Likewise, if you have an extroverted person who is great at social media, it would be a shame not to use those talents for promotion work and instead ask that person to handle logistics.

Second tier – what the person would like to work on and gain experience in. Some people might be aware of their shortcomings and limitations and see volunteering as an opportunity to overcome them.

The best way to work with these situations is to have each volunteer say what they are good at, what they already feel they can contribute, and what they can work on while helping us out.

One limitation of this approach would be that we might get too many volunteers with the same talents and abilities, and almost none for the other tasks we need help with. But with communication and an open mind, we can overcome these obstacles.

Let’s look at some of the things volunteers do at ROLDA.

Preparation and Updates

We take care of 700 dogs, and sometimes even keeping track of what has already been checked off a list and what is still needed for each of them is a task in itself. Updates are very important, especially for the residents who are on medication or are undergoing rehabilitation.

Learning about new arrivals, updating existing records, checking up on dogs in foster care or dogs kept at veterinary clinics for medical surveillance, checking in on adopted dogs and their new owners, going over specific instructions for all residents, and making sure that all needs are met and that all medical recommendations are respected — the completion of these requires attention to detail and good organizational skills, the ability to check lists, and the assurance that no item is left unchecked.

On the surface, it may seem like a series of repetitive tasks. In reality, each case must be treated as a separate case and handled with attention, not as a group. Missing one dose of medication, one check-up, one walk, or anything in an animal’s rehabilitation process can set the whole thing back, costing the shelter resources and the animal valuable time.

Physical Tasks

We need people physically present at the shelter. Here is where they’ll witness the less glamorous part of animal rescue, and the real thing when it comes to animal care. These tasks include preparing each resident’s food according to the veterinarian’s recommendations. Adult dogs have one diet, and puppies and seniors have another. Dogs with medical conditions or recovering from surgery have other dietary needs. The person handling the food needs to make sure they match all residents with the right food.

Keeping water bowls full of fresh and clean water is another full-time job. Dogs slurp, get drool and fur in their water, step in their bowls, or even spill them by mistake. You cannot simply assume they have drinking water available all day. This is something volunteers need to check periodically.

Cleaning the kennels and dog beds is crucial. A tidy shelter encourages potential adopters to bring our dogs home, but it’s also essential for our dogs’ well-being. A clean living space ensures a healthy, thriving environment for them.

Socializing With the Dogs

Now this really is the fun part! As mentioned at the beginning, volunteering at a dog shelter is not only about playing with cute and lovable rescue dogs. But this is certainly one of the most rewarding aspects of volunteering.

This is where all our volunteers shine, and it’s something we rely on heavily. In the small moments of tenderness and care, even the most traumatized dogs start to regain their trust in people. You might also be surprised by how little it sometimes takes – like a loving stroke of a dog’s head, showing up and playing with the same dog every day, giving a scared dog time to come out and meet a kind hand on their own terms.

All of this is possible thanks to the incredible time our volunteers dedicate. Tenderness cannot be purchased in large quantities.

Routine Setting

Training stray dogs to coexist with people is most effective before they are placed with a family. Friendly and well-behaved dogs are more likely to find a permanent home.

To achieve this, a consistent routine for the dogs must be established. This involves walking, gentle play, basic training to facilitate initial human-dog interactions, and socializing with as many humans as the dog’s condition allows. The goal is to make the dog as functional as possible within a typical family environment.

Administrative and Promotional Work

Apart from work with animals, administrative volunteer work is just as important. We have mentioned organizational tasks at the beginning. But some aspects need someone to see the bigger picture.

We rescue dogs to get them into families. For this to happen, we must look and think beyond the functional aspects of the rescue. We love every one of our dogs, but we must also present them as lovable and adoptable to people who do not share our ability to see them as we do.

This requires effort, such as grooming and creating social media content that fosters emotional connections with our dogs. Some individuals naturally have a knack for making things look appealing online. Additionally, building a dedicated online audience takes time.

Consistency and perseverance go a long way in these adoption campaigns. Framing their stories just right, choosing and making the right photos, knowing exactly which groups of internet users to target, when, what, and how to post, are just some of the things that make adoption possible.

What People Get Out of Volunteer Work

Volunteer work is emotionally rewarding, just as much as it is taxing. You cannot be invested in our residents and remain unmoved by the condition in which some of them arrive, or by how much they struggle to recover and trust people again. Nor at how much they struggle to come back to life and trust people again. No caring human being could remain unmoved by the sight of them.

Yet, getting to be part of the process that makes things right by them, getting to heal and nurture them, makes our volunteers feel like they are making a big change. Getting to see dogs come in broken and leave to live happy lives with their new, responsible owners gives us all a sense of accomplishment. And we are not stingy on having everyone share in the success of any adoption.

Volunteer work builds character, makes people more resilient, teaches new skills, and shows people how much good they can do simply by doing what they love most. It may even change the way they see the world.

What Rescuing a dog often means making an emotional call after seeing one in distress. People hope those who answer will come quickly to take the dog to safety.

And it really is an emotional moment. We are fully aware that some people have tried to save animals in the past only to be met with indifference or a lack of support from organizations that are otherwise meant to help. Therefore, we expect that having gone through this experience in the past would leave people less willing to step in and help an animal in distress.

Therefore, callers should know that we will always respond and gear up to take care of the suffering dog they have found.

But what happens after the dog is rescued? What is there that keeps others from intervening every time?

The Care of Dogs in Our Shelter

Every caller likely understands that rescuing a dog from the side of the road makes them responsible for the animal. Removing it from an unsafe location is only the initial part of a much longer process.

This is often what prevents other organizations from intervening—if they are at capacity without space for more animals, lack the funds to care for additional animals, or don’t have the staff and transportation for pickups. Some organizations rely on volunteers who donate their time when possible but are not always available on demand.

These are all things we do differently at ROLDA because we have directed all our efforts into doing so. Here is a breakdown of what dogs need once they are in our care.

The Daily Needs of Our Shelter Dogs

Every dog we rescue becomes our responsibility until they find a home or pass away. Multiply this by 700, and it shows the immense daily workload. Unlike typical volunteer tasks, caring for a living creature requires ongoing, dedicated attention.

Here are just some of the regular, daily tasks our permanent staff handles:
– providing two meals a day for up to 700 dogs
– considering the dietary needs of dogs with medical conditions or those recovering from medical procedures
– making sure all dogs have access to fresh water in clean bowls several times a day
– keeping the kennels clean
– checking in on residents who need special attention and under medical supervision
– monitoring how dogs awaiting adoption behave
– walking the healthy dogs at least once daily and assisting with their socialization
– starting the rehabilitation process for those in need and monitoring each dog’s specific requirements

These tasks apply to most of our residents. Additionally, the same individuals must consider the particular needs of some dogs—whether they are very young or very old, hyperactive or lethargic, refusing to eat, or facing weight problems.

Caring for 700 dogs is a full-time commitment, but achieving the best results is what distinguishes their past lives from their ideal future, which we can help make a reality.

Consistency is the key to the success of each case.

Medical Care

There are a few instances in which dogs end up in our care and do not need any medical care. Many dogs arrive after traumatic accidents that leave them severely injured and in need of life-saving surgery, while others suffer from illnesses requiring medication and ongoing veterinary supervision.

Apart from that, even healthy dogs need veterinary care to remain healthy. Just like regular pets, they need to be seen by a vet who will assess their situation and tell us whether there is anything we should be doing. The only difference is that we have to do this for over 700 animals at once.

These medical services include vaccinations, parasite control, managing chronic conditions, and making sure the dogs are thriving.

Specific medical care includes surgeries, wound care, medication schedules, and occasional emergency veterinary visits. Some dogs have quick, clean recoveries; others need weeks or months to get better, while some need permanent care.

Emotional Rehabilitation

Before rescue dogs have a real chance at adoption, they need to undergo rehabilitation. This ensures that they will be safe and reliable companions for their future families, and it is an important step for almost all our adoptable residents.

Skipping this step could jeopardize the success of their adoption, as some people might find it too difficult to handle this part once the dog is already in their home.

Emotional rehabilitation implies helping the animal overcome trauma and specific fears. Most of the time, we have to guess what frightens them and how difficult the situation is. Mismanagement in this situation could lead to dogs whose behavior becomes problematic and adopters who do not have the tools and the skills to handle the problem.

Socialization is also important, as some dogs may have grown up afraid of other animals, and their best chance of adoption may come from people who already have other pets. In this case, being unfriendly might mean they lose their best chance of finding a home.

Animals that have been abused require time and patience to rebuild trust in humans. The process is often more complex than it initially appears. Animals who have suffered intentional abuse need calmness, patience, and consistency from caregivers before they can be paired with a family.

Apart from the severely injured dogs and the ones with incurable illnesses, the ones that struggle in this part of the rehabilitation have the lowest chances of ever finding a forever home.

Proper rehabilitation builds trust and helps create healthy routines. Once they know what to expect from life with a loving owner, dogs will be more open and trusting. The process involves both body and mind.

Invisible Administrative Work

People who already have pets know this best. Even when things are great, it’s never just sunshine and rainbows. Everything you do to keep your dog happy and healthy requires thinking ahead and, most of all, consistency. You need to be prepared to feed your dog twice a day, provide a stable home environment, keep medical appointments, plan playdates, and make sure the dog is friendly and sociable. You also need to keep all paperwork straight and make special arrangements when you need to travel or spend the night away from home.

Running a shelter with over 700 dogs is similarly challenging. The logistics are complex and demand considerable time and resources. You need to manage food storage, waste disposal, keep an accurate inventory of cleaning supplies, donation records, adoption documentation, and coordinate volunteers.

There is little glamour in any of these, but everyone is essential.

Each rescue is a promise. Not just the promise of being taken off the streets today, but that each dog’s life will become better in every way.

Everyone loves puppies! However, many see senior dogs as someone else’s responsibility. It's a tough reality, but at ROLDA, we are used to dealing with harsh truths.

Many of our residents are senior dogs, who are less likely to be adopted. These kind souls will probably spend their remaining days in our care. It saddens us that only a few will ever experience the love of a family and the joy of having a forever home. Of course, they will forever have a loving family and home at ROLDA, but it’s not the same as having one family to themselves.

Being cared for in our shelter ensures they will never have to struggle or suffer on the streets again at their age. For some, this is the main benefit.

However, the problem persists that senior dogs are the most likely to be abandoned and rarely chosen for adoption. Let's explore this issue more closely.

Why are there so many senior dogs in our shelter?

Senior dogs are often the most abandoned, and many people might be surprised at how easily this occurs.

Owners Pass Away

Sometimes, elderly pet owners pass away without any family members willing to care for their senior animals for the rest of their lives. This is a common situation, and it deeply saddens us when a pet, just having experienced the traumatic loss of a loved human, must face the reality of being alone in the world.

Some cases are truly heartbreaking, with pets trapped in their former homes where only a few kind neighbors occasionally leave food and water. Others end up on the streets when new owners take over the property.

Imagine having lived an entire life in one place, knowing nothing but love from your family and the comfort of your home, only to be alone and uprooted in the most vulnerable stage of your life. It’s devastating.

Financial Hardship

Money problems can occur unexpectedly and may impact even long-time pet-owning families. Elderly dogs often require extra care as they age, such as specialized diets and increased veterinary costs. As these expenses rise, some owners find it difficult to afford to keep their pets, leading to abandonment.

Would these people face the same harsh judgment for neglecting their pets or depriving them of necessary medical care? Probably. However, they would still have shelter and someone to advocate for them and seek assistance on their behalf.

Illness in the Family

Right up there with financial hardship, a severe illness in the family can take more or less the same toll. Resources are depleted—not only financial resources, but also the physical and emotional capacity of family members to care for others.

A sick family member at home who consumes most resources will deplete all available energy, as everyone focuses on caring for them. This is only natural. However, in smaller families with elderly, weak, or already tired and ill members, energy becomes very limited. The family dog may receive only scraps, if it remains in the house at all.

Relocation

Sometimes, when families have to move away, their senior pets no longer fit in the new narrative of their lives. Either the new home is not a good place for the animal, the rental contract does not allow pets, or the owners want a fresh start and wrongfully mark their senior pets as things to be left behind.

Sure, not all families are willing to abandon their pets and will seek suitable solutions. We also recognize that some situations are complex and not easily resolved. The case of senior dogs being left behind exemplifies this difficulty.

Plain Abandonment

The saddest thing of all is that people don’t need so many reasons to give up on an older pet. Maybe they always saw the animal’s worth in its utility. Whether the animal is no longer puppy-cute or doesn’t have as much energy left to guard the property, they see no other reason to keep it in their care. Abandonment is still seen as an option for some people, and they don’t even think twice about it. Just like that.

Senior Dogs Still Make Amazing Companions

People who are open to challenging the most common misconceptions about adopting senior dogs discover many wonderful benefits.

Firstly, senior dogs have calmer personalities and are better suited for people who would otherwise find puppies too challenging. They are patient and kind, even with first-time owners who are still learning to care for them properly.

Another category of people who would benefit from adopting a senior dog is those who cannot or will not adopt a too active lifestyle. Not to say they wouldn’t want to take a nice walk around the block every day, but maybe not have to chase a young dog around to make sure it gets its exercise. People who are more selective about the level of physical activity do great with senior dogs.

Another clear advantage of adopting a senior dog is that most likely, many of them have already been house-trained. This reduces a lot of the effort new owners need to put in when first bringing home a small dog. A senior dog would simply have to adjust to a new home and new people, but it wouldn’t have to learn how to do things from scratch.

Not to mention that there is a lot less damage control you need to do when bringing a senior dog home. Young pups are more destructive and are difficult to leave alone. Senior dogs are already accustomed to the items in the house, know not to chew on furniture or destroy household items, and are less likely to go on a gnawing spree just because they have been left alone for two hours.

And we have saved the best for last. The emotional bond you have with a senior dog is amazing. These dogs are grateful for the comfort of your home, for your companionship, and for all your loving care. They are grateful, good, and kind.

Unique Needs of Senior Dogs

If adopting a senior dog is starting to sound good to you, here are some things you still need to consider regarding their care. Just like puppies and adult dogs, senior dogs have specific needs.

First up on the list are more frequent veterinary check-ups. The sooner you learn to spot potential problems, the faster you can step in and make things comfortable for your new companion. Some of these issues are degenerative, such as arthritis or joint pain, meaning they will worsen as the dog ages. But treating them early will give your friends a bit more time to feel comfortable and be pain-free.

Dental care is also important because keeping their teeth healthy will help them savor their food and the treats they enjoy getting from you. No point in being a good boy if you don’t get the good treats, right?

Since we are on the topic, weight management is also important, as being overweight and having brittle bones don’t go well together. Also, senior dogs are not as active, so getting rid of a little surplus would be very challenging. Exercise must be kept up regularly, but must be gentle.

Be diligent in dispensing medication and make sure any special dietary needs are addressed to keep the dog thriving even in old age.

Adopting a senior dog isn’t as difficult as some think. Ultimately, all pet owners share some level of responsibility. The key difference is that senior dogs may require a slower pace, which suits those who are already patient and steady. This approach can be a perfect match for such individuals.

This year, for the first time, ROLDA humbly joins the 9/11 Memorial Ride to honor the courageous dogs who served alongside first responders in the aftermath of September 11, 2001, as well as those who were lost. Our commemorative brooch is a modest tribute to the many working dogs who searched, served, comforted, and stood beside their human partners during one of our nation’s darkest moments. It is our hope that this small token will help ensure that their service and sacrifice are never forgotten.

These dogs did not choose their mission. They simply showed up, day after day, in the wreckage and recovery that followed, because that is what devotion looks like. Long after the search ended, many of them stayed close to the responders they worked beside, a quiet reminder that comfort is its own form of service.

We are extremely grateful to Karra, her father Rick, and the organizers who welcomed us to be a small part of their 25th-anniversary commemorative event, one that inspires generations not to forget the heroes and the sacrifice of those we lost, and to honor the values of the United States that made that fight worth fighting.

A Personal Note from our Treasurer:

“My father was a first responder, so this project means something particular to me. I grew up understanding, in a very immediate way, what it means for search and rescue teams, canine and human alike, to walk into the worst day imaginable so that others might be found, comforted, and brought home. This brooch is a small token to hold in your hand, but it carries something much larger: a promise that their service is remembered.

For me, it also sits at the center of what ROLDA believes. The bond between people and animals is not incidental to hard work and hard days. It is often what carries us through them. Every dog ROLDA shelters, and every dog we honor, is part of that same story.

We are grateful for the opportunity to bring this tribute to life, and to honor the extraordinary dogs whose service and sacrifice deserve to be remembered.”

We’re sure you’ve heard the saying, “Not all heroes wear capes.” But do you know how many people around you may have actually saved a life? More than you think.

How do we know this? Because for over 20 years, we have seen how many people it takes to save a single dog. And we are in awe of all of them every single day. This says a lot since we have over 700 dogs in our care and thousands to track in their forever homes. That’s a lot of people!

Here, let us show you what we mean.

Rescue Scenario

A woman on a walk or on her way to work notices an abandoned female dog with her three little From under her matted fur, tiny beady eyes look up at the woman in hope. Will she be the one to step up?

The woman can see the dogs are struggling. They are dirty, and they look famished. The pups have swollen bellies and need deworming, and the mother is skinny and riddled with ticks sucking her dry.

So, instead of dropping a bag of salty crackers on the ground and calling it a day, the woman calls ROLDA, tells us about the mother and her pups, and waits until our team arrives.

Once there, our team takes the dogs to our shelter, where they receive an initial check-up and, later, undergo more in-depth medical exams provided by our medical partners.

We provide appropriate care based on each dog's condition and veterinary advice. Severe cases remain at the clinic, while milder ones are returned to the shelter, where our staff can look after them.

Once the dogs are doing better, we assess their behavior, and, if the evaluation goes well, we put them up for adoption. Even during this phase, we have a long list of people involved in the process who work hard to find loving people for our dogs.

Case closed!

Now, let’s see how many people were involved in this rescue.

The First Caller

The person who calls us to report an animal in distress is the one who initiates the rescue process. We might be the ones with the entire rescue infrastructure, and we may also be very proactive about going around the county to find animals in need, but we cannot be everywhere at the same time.

We need the help of individuals who notice animals in need. Although the first caller’s role may seem brief, it’s actually very crucial. Without the woman, we wouldn’t know about the mother dog and her three pups. Or we might find out later, when their condition is worse, or when it would be too late for them.

The Rescue Team

They are probably the most obvious heroes in our story. But they are also the ones bearing the brunt of the rescue effort.

Our rescuers must be willing and able to jump in the rescue van whenever that phone call arrives.
There are no vacation days or postponements when an animal in need is found. Availability is important in this role, and it is something many people seem to overlook when thinking about our rescue team heroes.

Their communication skills must be great because not all first callers are great at describing situations, giving the correct location, or following instructions such as: ‘If the dog looks frightened, please do not approach. Let us handle it!’

Knowing the lay of the land is another requirement, as animals might sometimes be spotted in hard-to-reach places. But experienced rescuers might know a few things about how they got there and how to save them. Once again, this is something better left to the professionals.

Last, but by far the least in this stage of the rescue, is the level of risk involved. Animals will act out of instinct, especially when injured or sick. They could bite, put up a fight, or run away. They could injure themselves and the rescuers in the attempt to pick them up. This is why a rescuer’s job is sometimes dangerous.

Once safely in our care, our rescuers make an initial assessment of the animals and decide whether they can head to our shelter for first aid or need to go directly to one of our partner vet clinics.

The Medical Professionals

There is little glamour in helping animal rescue organizations such as ours. And yet, we have a number of dedicated veterinarians who have stepped up, taken on severe injuries, and treated advanced medical conditions more than once. And all without waving their bills in our faces.

It is an act of dedication of time and knowledge, and we appreciate our collaborators for always stepping up and seeing our residents through their recovery with exactly the care they need.

Most of the animals we rescue would perish if our medical partners were not available.

Foster Care Volunteers

Sometimes animals need time and a special place to recover from medical procedures. They may also need a quiet place where medication can be administered while they keep calm and gather their strength. This is where we need foster care and volunteers—people who are willing to open their homes to vulnerable animals.

They must be empathetic, alert, caring, be able to report back on their foster animal’s condition, and be willing to administer medicine and change wound dressings. It is almost a full-time job caring for animals who are not their own.

And yet, we have so many wonderful people willing to step in and give our rescues the care they have never known.

Staff Members and Volunteers

Another category of hidden heroes consists of the people making the day-to-day operations of the shelters possible. Our residents might not need around-the-clock care, but they do need to eat; their kennels need to be cleaned; and they need to be walked and socialized. We could not do this without our staff, volunteers, and anyone willing to help.

This is why our permanent shelter staff is very much appreciated. They are the administrative wizards who make limited resources stretch to cover every necessity, and who know just how to spend and when to save, so that our residents receive the best care.

Volunteers will come in for fixed periods of time and double these efforts. And at ROLDA, we have had the best kind of volunteers – people who have traveled from afar to give a helping hand, people from the community who wish to make a difference, and people across Romania who believe that what we do is worthy of support.

These are also the people who make adoptions possible by developing the best campaigns, presenting our dogs to highlight their best features, and vetting potential adopters so our dogs are given their best chance at a real, safe life.

Donors and Sponsor

Donors and sponsors might not be physically present at our shelter, feeding and actively caring for our dogs. But their donations make our entire operation possible. Every brick, every bag of food, every vaccine, and every complex surgery is funded through the generosity of our donors and sponsors. None of what we have mentioned above would be possible without these funds.

As you can see, the list of unsung heroes behind every rescue is long. It’s never just one person carrying one dog in their arms. It’s about many people pitching in. We could not imagine our work without any of these heroes, and it is all done in a perfect balance. Removing even one of these heroes from the process would significantly alter our rescues.

Nobody likes to think about stuff like this, but if you are a dog owner, then you have one extra reason to do so: your dog depends solely on you for survival. No pressure!

So, while natural disasters, fires, power outages, and evacuations could happen at any time for any reason, being prepared reduces your overall anxiety and gives you time to compose yourself.

Getting a bag of essentials ready might not take much time now, but it will save you time getting to safety and keep you calmer since you know you have everything you need. You won’t panic or stress about having to go back, or about not having something you need to keep your dog safe and comfortable until more permanent solutions can be found.

Here’s what a dog’s emergency kit should contain.

Water and Food

Ideally, you should keep food and water for 3-7 days. However, if it comes down to storage and accessibility, and neither works in your favor, prepare for at least 3 days. This includes bottled water, canned or dry food, a manual can opener in case you opt for canned food, and collapsible food and water bowls.

If you have the space, pack food and water for at least two weeks. This will be a blessing in certain situations.

The types of food you choose and the amounts you store will depend on the storage space you have for your emergency kit.

Medical Supplies

When it comes to medical supplies, there are things you can prepack and things you need to remember to grab before heading out.

Prescription medication falls into the second category, and prepacking it would be challenging unless you have the chance to stockpile it. If your dog is on permanent treatment for a specific illness, you may be able to work around it with your doctor. However, always use the medicine in the pack and store the newer ones away if you don’t want the ones in the pack to expire.

If your dog is on specific medication when an emergency occurs, and there is no way to prepack it in advance, put a tag on the emergency kit, over by the handle, reminding you to grab the medicine before heading out. This would be the only way to prep in this situation.

Otherwise, your medical kit should have copies of medical records and other essential pet records, bandages, gauze, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, a thermometer, and the above-mentioned medication with administration details.

Documents

Keep laminated photocopies of the most important documents. These will come in handy and be better protected in the event of water damage.

Essential documents you need to keep in the emergency kit are:

• Identification papers,
• vaccinations,
• medical summary,
• prescriptions,
• most recent tests and other particular tests anyone coming across the pack might need to know,
• pet descriptions and recent photographs detailing their physical appearance
• microchip information
• your contact information and an emergency contact.

Plan for the event in which you will need and use the documents after your evacuation, as well as for the event in which your pets might be found by someone else. In this latter case, all this information would be more than welcome. It’s sad and scary to think about all this, but you can feel better knowing you’ve taken measures so that whoever finds your dog has all the necessary information and medication to keep him safe until you’re reunited.

Safety Supplies

Keep a spare leash, collar, and harness. You might have time to grab the regular one before you leave, but it’s best to have one in the kit in case you don’t, or if your regular one gets lost or broken.

A muzzle is a wise choice because you never know how your dog might react in a stressful situation. This is general advice, and one given even to the owners of the gentlest of dogs. Animal instincts kick in when emergencies occur, and you never know just how your pet will react. It would be best to have something that will protect you and your dog from unwanted accidents.

Waste bags and cleaning supplies are another must. Wherever you end up, your dog will still need to poop and pee. If you are not outdoors, you might need to improvise, so it’s best to be prepared.

Flashlight and batteries might not be necessarily pet-related items, but it can’t hurt to keep an extra set in the doggy kit, just in case.

A thermal blanket is a lifesaver in many situations and doesn’t even take up much space. You could even have several packs in your kit to pass around.

Comfort Items

If you managed to fit all the necessary items in your emergency kit and still have room to spare, it would not hurt to add some comfort items.

You will most likely be stressed in an emergency, and so will your dog. He will rely solely on you to take the family to safety and keep them safe until things can return to normal. In such situations, even the best dogs can get stressed and act out. Therefore, keeping him calm is a top priority.

Their favorite toy, a blanket that smells like home, and clothing items belonging to family members the dog feels safest around will foster a sense of belonging and grounding, helping your dog better cope with reality.

A dog might not understand the concept of something temporary, but he can find comfort in knowing that the most important things are still around, such as his family.

Special Considerations

This list is made up especially for adult dogs with no special needs. If you have a puppy or a senior dog, you need to adapt to their particular needs. Puppies will need extra food and potty pads, for example, while old dogs might need mobility aids.

If you live in a very cold or very hot climate, add the necessary items. Umbrellas to create shade and cooling pads for extra hot climates, jackets, and paw protection for colder ones.

Maintaining Your Emergency Kit

Gather all the items you wish to include in the kit and choose a container of the appropriate size. Make sure it is waterproof and easy to maneuver, even if you are on your own during an evacuation.

Prepare and store them, but do not place other items on top of them. If all is well, you will not need it for very long, which would be amazing. However, there is a risk of piling things on top of it, thus making it inaccessible.

Another danger of making it and then forgetting about it would be failing to update the information and content. Whether it’s food or medication, it would be a shame to let it go bad. Use the ones in the emergency kit and replace them periodically with fresher ones to ensure that, should you need them, they are still safe to consume.

Emergencies are complex for everyone. It’s hard not to stress and to keep your wits about you. Add to this the particularities of each type of emergency, the need to care for others, such as small children and pets, and the pressure on an individual is tremendous.

But preparedness makes things considerably easier. Although it’s unpleasant to think about such things in advance, it helps to have everything ready so that when the worst happens, all you need to do is grab the dog, throw the kit in the car, and get out.