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What You Did for the Animals of Nepal
Whole settlements were gone in the time it takes to boil a kettle. Thirty-two bridges and close to 25 miles of road were swept away. Entire villages simply could not be reached. One village in Rasuwa waited fifteen days before a helicopter could land. The human loss has been devastating, and it is still being counted. And ... Blog
Alma: The Cat Everyone Saw and No One Helped
Alma was living on the streets with an open wound in her abdomen. Not a fresh injury. Not something that happened yesterday. The veterinarians who examined her believe she most likely became trapped in wire or fencing at some point, and that the wound had been there for a long time. Which means Alma had ... Alma: The Cat Everyone Saw and No One Helped
Borya: The Dog Who Asked Soldiers for Help
When Borya could no longer survive alone, he walked to the people he thought might help him. He found a group of frontline Ukrainian soldiers. They took one look at him and knew he was in serious trouble. This pit bull, whom they named Borya, was starving, his body wasted down to just sixteen kilograms. ... Borya: The Dog Who Asked Soldiers for Help
Abandoned in a Bag: A Romanian Rescuer’s Personal Story from Târgu Frumos
Some rescues take just a few minutes. Others are drawn out over days and need everything a rescuer has to give. ROLDA works alongside dedicated local partners across Romania, including a small rescue association in Târgu Frumos whose work you may remember from the story of the two abandoned Bichons. After a sterilisation campaign in ... Abandoned in a Bag: A Romanian Rescuer’s Personal Story from Târgu Frumos
Teddy’s Second Chance
Teddy’s story began on the streets of Romania, where he and his brother Toby were found trying to survive alone. They were still puppies, vulnerable and all alone, struggling to learn how to navigate the world with very little protection. When they arrived in our care, it quickly became clear that Teddy needed urgent medical ... Teddy’s Second Chance
4 Kilometres of Kindness
Abandoned, drowned or left to starve. Too often, this is the fate of old dogs who are no longer wanted. The man who brought these two elderly girls to us believed he was doing the right thing by trekking four kilometres with them to our shelter. They are now in our care. Vaccinated first and ... 4 Kilometres of Kindness
Tiny Courageous: How One Puppy’s Courage Should Inspire Us All
Each day brings new challenges, and each day, hope rises as another innocent life is given a second chance. Some stories, though, touch our hearts more deeply than others. When one of our ROLDA Rescue Heroes received an urgent call, it was about a tiny soul fighting to survive in the shadows of Bethlehem, unnoticed ... Tiny Courageous: How One Puppy’s Courage Should Inspire Us All
Alfie – Waiting For Kindness
This is Alfie. This is what it looks like to be born into life as an unwanted stray. From birth, this small black kitten sat on the streets of Tulcea, cold, hurting, and unnoticed. His eyes had, at some point, been so badly damaged that he could no longer see. So, this kitten, blind to the ... Alfie – Waiting For Kindness
Alya – Ten Years, no Loyalty
The small terrier sat where her family had left her, waiting for them to come back. She didn’t understand why they’d walked away. She couldn’t comprehend that at ten years old, with tumors growing on her belly, she was now considered disposable. How long did Alya wait before she realized they weren’t returning? In Ukraine, ... Alya – Ten Years, no Loyalty
When No Space Means No Choice: A Rescuer’s Impossible Decision
Story from a small animal rescue in Targu Frumos that ROLDA supports The call came about a mother dog and her puppies. “Take them, we don’t want them”. The rescuer’s answer was honest: “I can’t help. I’m completely full. I have no space.” But honesty doesn’t always end the conversation. The calls kept coming, every ... When No Space Means No Choice: A Rescuer’s Impossible Decision
The Things We Carry: Brownie’s Journey from the Streets to Safety
Story is from The Great Catsby – A ROLDA-funded local cat rescue partner The woman who reached out to us didn’t know what else to do. For weeks, she had been watching them. A small brown cat and her two tiny kittens were surviving in the grubby, desolate gap between apartment buildings, where no one ... The Things We Carry: Brownie’s Journey from the Streets to Safety
The Invisible Killer
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 ... The Invisible Killer
Mira’s Fight for a Second Chance
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 ... Mira’s Fight for a Second Chance
Mica’s Tough Discovery
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 ... Mica’s Tough Discovery
A Second Chance for Two Mothers in Need
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 ... A Second Chance for Two Mothers in Need
The most beloved fur-grandchild
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 ... The most beloved fur-grandchild
Styopa (Stephen)’s Crown
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 ... Styopa (Stephen)’s Crown
Barsik’s Breakthrough: When Love Straightens What Pain Has Twisted
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 ... Barsik’s Breakthrough: When Love Straightens What Pain Has Twisted
When Survival is a Daily Battle: Xena’s Story
In the shadows of an old Romanian churchyard, a tiny cat barely out of kittenhood was fighting for her life—and the lives of her unborn babies. At just one year old, Xena was far too young to be facing motherhood, but the harsh reality of street life doesn’t wait for cats to be ready. An ... When Survival is a Daily Battle: Xena’s Story
Left Behind: The hidden underbelly crisis of strays in Ukraine and Romania
On a quiet road in Ukraine, a dog lay trembling in the dirt. Her leg was bent at an unnatural angle. She had likely been hit by a car. No collar, no identification, and no one nearby to help. Her name is Hanna, and her story is heartbreakingly common across Eastern Europe right now. When ... Left Behind: The hidden underbelly crisis of strays in Ukraine and Romania
Odin’s Journey of Survival After a Vicious Dog attack
Stray cats have the unique ability to make almost anywhere their home. They fight fiercely for their independence and maintain that typical standoffish cat behavior; but the harsh reality is that many would not survive without help. Every day, these resilient animals face overwhelming challenges – finding food to fill their rumbling stomachs, warding off ... Odin’s Journey of Survival After a Vicious Dog attack
What does being a no-kill shelter mean, in practice, to a cat?
We are occasionally asked what a no-kill shelter is. This story is a very recent example of a no-kill policy in action, to help explain how it works and why it is crucial. One of our sister rescue shelters, the Great Catsby, has been caring for a beautiful little white female cat called Cris since ... What does being a no-kill shelter mean, in practice, to a cat?
Marik’s story demonstrates how Ukrainian soldiers fight to defend those they love
Marik is a blind, stray dog in Ukraine. As such, his chances of surviving long were tiny. Life can be tough for anyone who is blind. Let alone a stray dog. Marik would not have lasted long, given the increased competition for scarce food and water as a stray and the added risk of being ... Marik’s story demonstrates how Ukrainian soldiers fight to defend those they love
Winnie, the tiny stray cat who surprised us all
Sterilization programs are one of the surest, most efficient ways of managing strays in the long term. As the number of homeless animals continues to rise, the challenge of protecting them becomes even more urgent. But, finding time to sterilize is still a priority. Winnie was a stray, taken to be sterilized at ROLDA partner ... Winnie, the tiny stray cat who surprised us all
Ada’s road to recovery: giving her a second chance to walk
She may never walk properly again. But if that’s the case, we will know we tried everything possible to help her first. Only a few seconds of bad luck means Ada faces the harsh possibility of never being able to walk again. More frequently than ever, we help dogs hit by cars. Some sustain only ... Ada’s road to recovery: giving her a second chance to walk
