In a country where the sound of missiles, gunshots and sirens has become as common as birdsong, where streets bear the scars of conflict, and where survival often hinges on split-second decisions, there are still those who refuse to let compassion become a casualty of war. This is the story of Nadya, a dog whose journey from tragedy to triumph exemplifies the unwavering spirit of Ukraine’s dedicated animal rescuers.

In a small village on the outskirts of a war-torn city, Nadya lay broken and afraid, her body bearing the brutal evidence of a collision with a vehicle. In peacetime, such an accident would be tragic enough, but in a country under siege, where veterinary resources are stretched thin and every day brings new challenges, Nadya’s fate hung precariously in the balance.

Enter Yulia, a local guardian angel known throughout her suburb for her unwavering commitment to helping injured animals. Despite already nurturing several rescued animals back to health in her home, Yulia couldn’t turn away from Nadya’s pleading eyes. Yet the extent of Nadya’s injuries – a complex fracture of her front paw and a dislocated hip joint – presented a daunting challenge, both medically and financially.

This is where Inessa’s story intertwines with Nadya’s. In a country where many have fled the horrors of war, Inessa has chosen to stay, dedicating herself to the countless animals left behind. When she heard about Nadya’s plight, she didn’t hesitate to offer financial support, embodying the kind of courage and compassion that shines brightest in the darkest times.

The situation became even more critical when veterinarians discovered Nadya was pregnant, a condition that complicated her already precarious state. Faced with a heart-wrenching decision, the medical team determined that emergency spaying was necessary to save her life. In a single operation, they fitted her shattered paw with a titanium plate, corrected her dislocated hip, and performed the life-saving spaying procedure.

The true testament to Nadya’s resilience came just one day after her surgery when she took her first tentative steps. Today, her wagging tail and bright eyes tell a story of recovery that seems almost miraculous given her circumstances. In her healing journey, we see reflected the indomitable spirit of Ukraine itself – wounded but unbowed, finding the strength to rise again despite devastating setbacks.

Nadya’s story is more than just a tale of animal rescue; it’s a reminder that even in war’s darkest hours, humanity’s light continues to shine through people like Yulia and Inessa. These women, along with countless other animal rescuers across Ukraine, demonstrate that compassion knows no boundaries, fears no sirens, and refuses to be silenced by the sounds of conflict.

As Nadya continues her recovery, her story stands as a beacon of hope – proof that even in the midst of humanity’s worst moments, our capacity for kindness and healing remains undiminished. In a time when tales of destruction dominate headlines, Nadya’s journey reminds us that love, compassion, and the determination to help those who cannot help themselves are perhaps our most powerful weapons against the darkness of war.

For those of us watching from afar, Nadya’s story serves as both an inspiration and a call to action. It reminds us that even in the most challenging circumstances, individual acts of kindness can create ripples of hope that touch lives both human and animal alike. As Ukraine continues to face unprecedented challenges, its animal rescuers stand as testament to the enduring power of compassion in the face of adversity.

In the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while most were fleeing the sounds of distant artillery and air raid sirens, Madalina made a choice that would change not only her life but the lives of countless forgotten felines in her war-torn city. Among these souls was a street cat who would come to be known as Duchess – a name that would prove prophetic in its reflection of her regal spirit despite years of hardship.

When Duchess first crossed paths with Madalina, she was a mother of six kittens, surviving against all odds in streets that had become even more dangerous with the onset of war. Her mouth, ravaged by a painful combination of stomatitis and calicivirus, made every meal an exercise in agony. Yet somehow, this eight-to-ten-year-old survivor had managed to keep herself and her kittens alive in a world that had shown her little kindness.

The world of a street cat is harsh enough in peacetime, but in war, it becomes nearly impossible. How many litters had Duchess lost before this one? How many times had she watched her kittens fall victim to speeding cars or brutal diseases? These are questions only she could answer, written in the scars she carried, both visible and hidden.

Under Madalina’s care, Duchess began a journey of healing that would span years. Despite the challenges of accessing veterinary care in a country at war, where medical supplies are precious and often reserved for human casualties, Madalina refused to give up. Duchess underwent months of treatment for her mouth condition, requiring multiple surgeries to remove all but one of her teeth. With each extraction, each careful treatment, the angry, pain-ridden cat began to transform.

The change in Duchess was remarkable. Free from the constant pain that had defined her existence, she discovered something extraordinary – she liked to play. This senior cat, who had never known the luxury of kittenhood, began to embrace joy with the enthusiasm of a much younger cat. Her transformation became a symbol of hope in dark times, a reminder that even in war, moments of healing and happiness are possible.

For two years, Duchess thrived in Madalina’s care, her story touching the hearts of many who followed her journey online. Then, just as it seemed fate had finally smiled upon her with the promise of a forever home with a young couple, life dealt another cruel blow. Three days before she was set to begin her new life, Madalina discovered lumps in Duchess’s mammary tissue – the dreaded specter of breast cancer.

The diagnosis was confirmed: malignant adenocarcinoma. Once again, Madalina refused to give up on her beloved charge. Through two separate radical mastectomy surgeries, Duchess has fought on, her spirit undiminished.

Today, Duchess remains the queen of her domain in Madalina’s home, imperiously demanding her daily portion of fresh meat and scolding anyone who dares to be slow with her meals. She wears her post-surgical garments not as a fashion statement, but as badges of honor in her ongoing battle for survival. Blissfully unaware of the gravity of her diagnosis, she continues to live each day fully, her main concern being the promptness of her meals and the attentiveness of her human servants.

In a country where air raid sirens still wail and the rumble of distant explosions punctuates quiet moments, Duchess’s story stands as a testament to the extraordinary bonds that can form between humans and animals even in the darkest of times. Her journey from street survivor to beloved fighter embodies the resilience of Ukraine itself – wounded but undefeated, finding joy even amid struggle.

For Madalina, who continues her rescue work despite the ongoing conflict, Duchess represents both hope and heartbreak – the joy of saving a life and the pain of knowing that sometimes, despite our best efforts, we cannot heal every wound or right every wrong. Yet in giving Duchess these years of love, comfort, and care, she has helped rewrite the story of one small cat’s life from one of mere survival to one of love, dignity, and joy.

As Duchess continues her battle, surrounded by the love and care she was denied for so many years, her story reminds us that in times of war, it is often the smallest acts of kindness that help us maintain our humanity. In saving Duchess, Madalina didn’t just rescue a cat – she preserved a piece of hope in a world that desperately needs it.

Sarah’s journey is heartbreaking and yet inspiring. First, the heartbreak…Imagine being tossed out of the window of a moving vehicle. The instant spike of fear you would feel as it happened, the overwhelming building pain in the seconds after you hit the ground. The open wounds that would cover your body. That is what poor Sarah experienced.

Who could be so cruel? It is unimaginable that anyone could ever have so little empathy. After being thrown from a vehicle, Sarah was highly injured and undoubtedly in unbearable pain. We know now that she spent several days like this, by the roadside, unable to move. But it doesn’t end there.

Reliable reports confirm that whilst she lay by the side of the road desperate for help, she was struck by a passing car. A car that did not stop. Once again, she lay for several days, barely alive, unable to move.

This is where a kind local volunteer, Lyubov, found her after hearing about an injured dog still showing signs of life. Curled up by the highway, Sarah was in a horrible state. She was exhausted, malnourished and could barely move due to her broken spine.

Sarah was taken immediately to a clinic in a very grim condition. Now, however, Sarah finally had the help she deserved. Lyubov ensured the ROLDA Rescue community could support a complex spinal surgery for Sarah, during which several implants were inserted.

As if by miracle, barely 24 hours after her surgery, Sarah stood briefly on her paws.

Sarah is now recovering in the clinic and has started to take small steps. She still has a long way to go, but her determination inspires us all.

Sarah and many others like her need your support to heal and find a better life. Please consider donating to help us continue saving lives and giving animals like Sarah a second chance. Becoming a regular monthly donor will make even more of a difference in the lives of animals who need it most.

Sarah’s story is an inspiration. No doubt, the surgery she received gave her what she needed to begin her recovery. But I am also confident that she is only recovering because she has a strong will to live. And I believe that her will to live is a response to the love and care she is now experiencing. Like many dogs, she responds so strongly to human love. And the love of ROLDA supporters like you is the inspirational magic that makes stories like Sarah’s possible. Thank you.

An inflamed and bleeding mouth. Kidney failure. Liver failure. Bibi, the little stray kitten, was suffering from all.

When our friends at the Great Catsby in Romania found Bibi, they immediately knew they needed to help her.

The Great Catsby is one of the shelters ROLDA is fortunate enough to support doing great work. Due to donations from kind animal lovers, ROLDA supports shelters across Ukraine and Romania with food and medical supplies.

Bibi overcame her challenges temporarily with a lot of hard work and time from dedicated volunteers. However, we knew that her condition was chronic and would require ongoing treatment to help support her damaged liver and kidneys.

After her initial recovery, Bibi was living happily among her feline friends at the Great Catsby, glad to be safe and off the streets. But soon, her kidney and liver refused to keep going.

For days, Bibi needed rapid interventions, infusions and frequent visits to the vet. She needed daily IV infusions, treatments and tests. Thankfully, Bibi is a strong fighter and has overcome this challenging time.

She is now back safely at the Great Catsby and continuing her usual treatment. Bibi’s life will be shortened, but we hope to make her final months happy and filled with love.

For the rest of her life, she needs multiple kidney and liver supplements, often hidden within her favourite treats.

Although Bibi may not make it to the end of 2025, she has made enormous progress since she was first rescued. She has transformed from a sickly, frightened stray kitten to the most loving cat in the shelter. She seems determined to share a long lifetime worth of love in the shortened life she has left.

Without dedicated rescue shelters like the Great Catsby, cats like Bibi would not be able to survive. Although her life will be short, Bibi gets to spend it happily surrounded by friends.

Sadly, more stray kittens are not so lucky. Stray cats face numerous challenges that can lead to illness, injury, or death. Malnutrition, disease, weather conditions, predators, and starvation are only some of the many obstacles that stray cats fight against.

BOOM.
A terrified dog huddles in the shadows, watching and hearing Russian missiles explode around him.

BOOM.
Our terrified dog hears people shouting and screaming as flames fill his surroundings and dark shadows flee for safety all around.

BOOM.
Our terrified dog turns to run as the foundation of his home, just meters away, is blown apart in one deafening explosion.

Our dog, now named Bridge, runs and runs. Full of fear and adrenalin, he is too scared to stop. He does not look behind him or think about the sharp and broken objects under his paws. He runs towards darkness, away from the fire-filled sky and the sound of explosions.

Bridge runs until his legs are stiff and buckling, and his mouth is dry from dehydration. He collapses on the ground. Bridge can still see the air attacks faintly in the distance, and he falls asleep to the disturbing but fainter sound of explosions and screaming.

When Bridge wakes, the sun is high in the sky, and the world around is eerily still. He looks around in horror to see that the safety he sought last night in the dark is a small, muddy island now surrounded entirely by water.

Bridge attempts to stand, but as he rises, his head spins, and his shaky legs give out, forcing him back onto the muddy floor below. His barks for help come out as strained, quiet whispers. He remains like this for several more sleeps, not knowing what to do. If it’s hours or days or weeks, he cannot tell. He feels his body slowly deteriorating, the energy he once felt always pumping through his veins is only a memory.

As Bridge lies covered by mud, leaves and sticks, he feels two hands slide under him. To his surprise, he is lifted into someone’s arms and hears some softly spoken tones. He is carried safely across the water.

Bridge wakes again to a bright room. A veterinary nurse puts him immediately on an IV treatment. Hours later, he is taken into surgery for a severe fracture of his leg.

After, Bridge is put back on the IV treatment. As the week passes, he feels life warmly returning to his broken body. His leg still aches even after surgery, but slowly, he can feel it becoming strong once again.

After weeks of dedicated attention from rescue shelter volunteers, Bridge is well on the road to recovery. He gains weight and builds energy with every day that passes.

Animals in Ukraine flee every day from the constant, devastating attacks on their homes. Many are injured or even killed in their hunt for safety. Bridge was only rescued because of heroes like you, who are part of the ROLDA Rescue Team. Thank you for making this magic happen for Bridge and others.

Thousands of stray cats live on the streets of Romania. No love or joy for them. Survival is all they can afford to think about. Street dogs chase them for the tiniest scrap of food found in the gutter. Toxic, bacteria-filled environments and harsh weather conditions cause disease and sickness to threaten their fragile bodies.

Cecilia, one little white kitten, was homeless at just a few months old. She was fighting for her life on the streets of Tulcea, Romania. Fate had not been kind to Cecilia; sadly, her challenges were only beginning.

Disease and infections are almost impossible for stray cats to avoid due to their already weakened immune systems. Toxoplasmosis, rabies, ringworm and intestinal parasites are some of the most common and lethal diseases that stray cats contract. For Cecilia, it was a herpes virus infection that got her first. The infection burrowed mercilessly until her eyes were completely destroyed.

So, at just six months old, Cecilia wandered the streets with no eyes. She was highly disorientated and incredibly fearful. Left like this, it was likely only a matter of time before death would find her, perhaps under the wheels of a speeding car.

But no. One day, a ROLDA Rescue Team volunteer spotted Cecilia and immediately knew she needed help. After a whole week of gentle coaxing and offering food, the volunteer finally got close to terrified, timid Cecilia. She was then taken to a ROLDA-supported shelter – The Great Catsby.

Cecilia’s weak body was covered with fleas and ticks. She also fought against ringworm and intestinal parasites. Her immune system was dangerously deficient, making her more susceptible to infections. This also meant it was tough for her fragile body to fight off attacks on its own.

There was one final test conducted that revealed an even bigger surprise; not only was Cecilia completely blind, but she was also completely deaf. It is a miracle that this baby kitten had already made it six months living blind, deaf and alone on the streets. What a special, brave girl she must be.

Cecilia is now receiving immune supplements to boost her health and prepare her for surgery. The operation is going to help prevent the constant infections Cecilia fights by cleaning and removing the dead tissue of what is left of her eyes.

Despite Cecilia’s terrible luck, she is one of the sweetest, friendliest, and most loving beings. Where others might retreat into fear, Cecilia chooses to embrace the care offered to her. Cecilia’s resilience and recovery is an inspiration.

A beautiful and forgiving soul, abused by the people she trusted

Even though Doina was someone’s pet, she was never given a name. It was us who named her Doina when her family brought her to us after their other dog (who is more than twice her size) bit off her left eye.

The family informed us that they could not afford to pay for Doina’s surgery and no longer wanted her. We told them that we would gladly take her in and get her into surgery immediately, but they refused to release her to us until we reimbursed them for Doina’s vaccinations (because apparently, it was a waste of money to vaccinate a dog they no longer want to keep).

We were able to gather the money to pay them, and we rushed Doina to our veterinarian, Dr. Andrei. Sadly, Doina had already lost her eye, but Dr. Andrei and his team took great care of her. They cleaned, cauterized, and sutured her wound. She is still a little shaken up, but she has a good appetite and seems to be healing well.

An infection was eating away at her skin… But not her soul.

Chick was found not far from our shelter. She was extremely dehydrated and full of parasites. Flies were feeding on her bloody, cracked skin caused by repeated biting and scratching. She had chewed through most of her fur, leaving her damaged skin exposed to horrible infections which, sadly, had already begun to consume her from the outside in. The truth is, she looked like a monster, a zombie. Passersby avoided looking at her, probably from disgust or pity. Some did acknowledge her by offering pieces of bread, which she refused to eat…surely from feeling sick.

Chick obviously needed immediate medical treatment to restore her appetite. And that’s when our ROLDA Rescue Team stepped in to help this poor soul. It was like she was heading toward our shelter to beg for help because she could no longer withstand the pain. Chick fought to reach us…she fought for aid…and her commendable strength paid off, because, the moment she found us her life began to change. That’s right…we didn’t find Chick. She found us!

After a couple of medicated baths, Chick began to show positive progress. Her appetite returned. She ate everything we gave her, from doggy biscuits to roasted chicken. In fact, she ate two fully roasted chickens in 10 minutes. It was a pleasure watching her enjoy her meals.

However, Chick’s road to full recovery is a long one. Her skin needs lots of treatment, including injections, antibiotics, and many more medical baths. ROLDA exists to help dogs like Chick to restore them back to health so that they may be eligible to become someone’s best friend.

ROLDA exists because of your amazing and constant support! Donate to ensure that Chick continues to receive her treatment, as well as to help more dogs like her that are still roaming the streets of Romania.

Help us help them!

As you read these lines, please be as generous as you can for thousands of homeless dogs who are suffering.

Please check our Before/After page to see more special cases of dogs who have been rescued from death and are now safe and happy because you care and believe in our work.

ROLDA saves Chick’s skin… Help more Chicks in need…

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Hera’s hell: dog found in tar – fighting for her life.

Hera was found on the streets. Her entire body was covered in tar that had matted her fur and even oozed deep to her skin. We can’t imagine the pain she had suffered…well, to be honest, we don’t want to imagine.

From the texture of her fur and skin, we believe Hera had been in this condition for weeks. It’s a miracle that she managed to survive. We had to wash her with oil to remove the tar, dirt, and dead skin before we could begin to treat her with medicated baths and antibiotics. She is in poor health, but our hope is that she will pull through.

Thanks to our veterinarian, Andrei, and our amazing Rescue Team, Hera is making good progress. Her recovery will take some time, but we have faith that she will overcome her tragic past and will be a loving, faithful, and grateful companion to a lucky family one day!

Help us help them!

As you read these lines, please be as generous as you can for thousands of homeless dogs who are suffering.

Please check our Before/After page to see more special cases of dogs who have been rescued from death and are now safe and happy because you care and believe in our work.

Choose a certificate that saves lives

The best gift you can give to your special friend is respect.
Surprise your friends with eco-friendly certificates that express your values and commitment to voiceless animals in need.

Buck’s story

BUCK was rescued from the street after being hit by speeding a car. We were contacted by an individual who had witnessed the horrible collision. Moments later, our Rescue Team arrived at the scene to transport Buck to our clinic. Buck was lying on his side, urinating and shaking uncontrollably as he was being helped. Due to lack of equipment in Galati’s veterinarian clinics, Buck had to be driven to another town to have x-rays taken. We were thrilled to learn that Buck’s injuries were not life-threatening and that he would be able to walk again.

Buck was treated for heartworm from the proceeds of our international heartworm fundraiser; however, we were all terrified that we had diagnosed the fatal disease too late. It was a great relief to learn that Buck was no longer infected with heartworm disease, and was adopted immediately by Sabine from Germany on October 12, 2017.

Help us help them!

As you read these lines, please be as generous as you can for thousands of homeless dogs who are suffering.

Please check our Before/After page to see more special cases of dogs who have been rescued from death and are now safe and happy because you care and believe in our work.

Choose a certificate that saves lives

The best gift you can give to your special friend is respect.
Surprise your friends with eco-friendly certificates that express your values and commitment to voiceless animals in need.

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