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ROLDA’s race to build a sanctuary for horses
In Romania, most of the horses are living in the countryside and are severely exploited.
When they are no longer “useful” to their owners or suffer an injury, or when they get sick, horses are abandoned to die or are slaughtered for their meat.
ROLDA has fought for horses for years, but we have reached a point where drastic action needs to be taken, and we refuse to wait any longer for these horses to be saved.
Horses are loyal and majestic animals who are also gentle and kind. They are faithful companions … helpful spirits … and devoted friends. They are willing to help us and are always ready to give. But far too many horses are mistreated and perceived as slave laborers that don’t deserve respect.
ROLDA would like to start sheltering the old, injured, and sick horses with priority. For the horses who live in safe families, ROLDA will continue to provide emergency medical aid and horseshoe cleaning, as well as coats for horses to keep them protected when it’s cold. We will also continue working with the authorities and the regional veterinary to rescue abused horses and donkeys from their owners and transfer them to safety.
The sanctuary
After conducting extensive research on the best shelter model to protect our horses from the harsh Romanian climate (especially the freezing winters), we have selected the following model. The hay will be deposited in the shelter’s attic, which will also function as additional natural isolation and an amazing hay-fragrance source for the whole building.
The shelter will spread over approx 275 sq m of indoor space, where we can house up to 10 horses. Each box will be equipped with heating, soft flooring, a system to prevent water from freezing and an outdoor space. The building will also have a designated area for washing and grooming the horses and a separate feeding area. Quarantine boxes will complete the interior. Outside, there will be two large exercise areas, 480 sq m each.
Construction phases
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The barn
- Documents: mesures topographiques, conversion de 755 mètres carrés de l’agriculture en terrain résidentiel, autres autorisations (y compris de la direction vétérinaire)
- Concrete foundation
- Barn building
- Hay storage
- Barn partitions (6 boxes, 3 quarantine boxes with separate outdoor space/separate entrance; other areas: grooming, food storage)
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Additional utilities
- Connect the building to water, and electricity, install a surveillance system, fire and smoke alarms, and sprinkler system
- Outdoor areas
- Field shadow/protection for sun/rain
- Purchase a trailer to transport horses
- Purchase basic equipment
ROLDA’s horse sanctuary is part of PawzUp project.
Horses and donkeys in our community cannot wait any longer. We need to act now to build their sanctuary. Please donate! We can’t have more horses being slaughtered for their meat when they are no longer “useful” to their owners.
All animals deserve respect! Please donate today!
Sponsor opportunities
As an individual or a company, you have the opportunity to name a horse box, or other area of the sanctuary. Your name or a name that you choose (e.g. if you wish to name the horse box in memory of a horse you lost or to honor a human/pet) will be engraved on a wood plaque and displayed visibly for as long as the sanctuary will be operational.
(Note: each space can have multiple sponsors)
- Name a shelter box for horses (6 available) $5.000
- Name grooming area for horses (1 available) $2.000
- Name feeding/storage area for horses (1 available) $1.000
- Name the whole sanctuary for horses $120.000
There is one rare opportunity for a very generous donor to sponsor the whole project and therefore, to name the sanctuary in memory or to honor a human or a pet. Many horse lovers wish to spread their love to less lucky, but majestic horses, in different parts of the World where they suffer neglect and abuses. When you sponsor the ROLDA sanctuary for horses, you give a chance to animals from communities where they have no other hope, where nobody else care for them, where they are treated as trash, after working hard, day and night, after a lifetime near someone who clearly didn’t appreciate them nor deserve their loyalty and intelligence.
Transparency is important for ROLDA, as well as showing gratitude to our dedicated supporters.
Individual donations are listed on the right column. When you make a donation directly on this page, your name and the amount will appear automatically. If you send a check or wire a donation marked “for horse sanctuary”, we will add your donation manually. In case you don’t see your name and amount donated listed, please send us an email at contact@rolda.org
Cost of the barn (phase 1-5) $120.000
Additional cost (phase 6-10) $100.000
(for the trailer, indoor equipment, connect utilities (electricity, heating), outdoor areas, and access alleys)
Estimated cost $220.000
Wall of fame
- Ruth $31
- Nadia $50
- Lara $45
- Arsen $30
- Kathleen $30
- Maria $30
- Tara $78
- Sonja $30
- Li Ying $20
- Mona $50
- Debra $30
- Michele $ 32
- Collin € 200
- Rosemarie $ 100
- Elena $ 52
- Anca $ 1400
- Madalina $ 2087
- Molly $ 250
- Heather € 10
- Laura € 4
- Jolanta € 10
- Inge € 100
- Ashley € 50
- Sarah € 50
- Joyce € 10
- Lily € 20
- Jolanta € 10
- Inge € 100
- Daniela € 10
- Judith € 10
- Heather € 70
- Sara € 4
- Mary-France € 30
- Audrey € 75
- Simon € 20
- Gayle € 10
- Karen € 5
- Tamara € 20
- Mattie € 30
- Sara € 8
- Dr John F € 25
- Peta € 25
- Karin € 20
- Tamara € 20
- Mattie € 20
- Penny € 10
- Janet € 15
- Christine € 25
- Susanna € 5
- Nicole € 30
- Cecilia € 10
- Janet € 20
- Audrey € 15
- Sally € 28
- Ivelina € 5
- Suzanne € 20
- Ludovic € 150
- Alessandra € 25
- Dena € 100
- Michèle € 250
- Barry € 20
- Adele € 20
- Isabelle € 20
- Lutgart € 20
- Michael € 15
- Herbert € 80
- Denise $ 30
- Alice $ 10
- Anonymous $ 10000
Check these other ones
#FriendsForever was created by ROLDA to help seniors keep their pets healthy and prevent them from being forced to abandon the only friend they may have.
In a shelter with hundreds of dogs, highly contagious diseases – such as distemper – could be devastating. This is why ROLDA imposes a strict quarantine period for all new rescued dogs, during which they receive broad-spectrum vaccines before they are let socialize with current residents of our shelter. However, vaccinations must be ‘topped-up’ annually with booster shots.
A much deadlier condition we must protect our dogs from is the lethal heartworm, a parasite found in mosquitoes which can be passed on to dogs from bites. Heartworms – as the name suggests – find a home in the cardiovascular systems of dogs and eventually cause fatal heart disease. What makes heartworms such deadly killers is the early stages of infection are very subtle and difficult to spot.
Parasites – such as fleas and ticks – may be tiny but the risk they pose to our dogs’ health can be huge. Ticks – a danger to humans and dog alike – carry Lyme disease, can cause severe anaemia, even seizures in case of weak puppies. Fleas – whilst more of a nuisance – can cause severe infections, especially from repeated scratching and breaking of the skin. Prevention is better than cure in all cases. ‘Spot-On’ treatments are effective in the case of fleas and ticks.
Romanian culture of dog ownership may seem harsh compared to Western Europe where dogs are often lucky enough to sleep in their master’s bed! In the countryside, usually, dogs ‘live’ outside, in gardens, and are rarely allowed indoors. This is often because many Romanians fear thieves or wild animals entering their property and dogs act as a deterrent. By supporting ROLDA’s doghouse project today, you are giving dogs in Romania the instant relief they seek and the refuge they need to survive.
