non-US support +44 (0)161 531 8801
More donkeys like Ben need our help
ROLDA supporters have been helping Ben since the day we rescued him, and we are incredibly grateful for their compassion and empathy.
Sadly, there are hundreds of more abused donkeys that need our help in the villages surrounding our town plus many more across Romania. Like Ben, they are beaten, abused, and suffer medical emergencies that go untreated. Unfortunately, we can’t help as many as we want because we don’t have a proper shelter for the donkeys, we only have a metallic improvised barrack where Ben lives. However, we do have plenty of empty lands where we could build a shelter for more donkeys in need.
For the time being, ROLDA only provides medical aid for donkeys with severe injuries for families who can’t afford to pay for their treatment. Still, we don’t have a place to confiscate and relocate the severely abused donkeys, which remain the property and the victims of people with no soul.
Lack of money, it’s frustrating to know we can’t do more for the voiceless and defend fewer animals that we see day after day exploited.
One of our dreams is to build a sanctuary for a max of 40 donkeys in a wood-insulated stable with a feeding area and partially shaded outdoor running areas where they can roam carefreely.
40 rescue donkeys may not seem like much compared to the hundreds that live in our community, but it’s a start. We have made such a difference in Ben’s life, and we want to do that for as many donkeys as we can, but first, we need to build this shelter, and then we can concentrate on expansion.
ROLDA sanctuary for donkeys will be part of our PawzUp Center.
Please be generous and help us build a home for retired and abused donkeys!
Construction phases
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- Paperwork: topographic measurements, convert 270 square meters into land for constructions, other authorizations (including from Veterinary Direction)
- Concrete foundation
- Building of sanctuary – stable (common wall with the horse sanctuary to reduce costs) Common indoor areas for donkeys and horses: Grooming, Tack room, Feeding, and storage.
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- Thatch or metal roofing panels
- Partitions (2 rows of 4 boxes)
- Connect the building to water, and electricity, install a surveillance system, fire and smoke alarms, and sprinkler system
- Fencing 1480 sq m pasture with feeding area and partially shaded zone
- Install shadow/protection for sun/rain
- Purchase basic equipment
Sponsor opportunities
As an individual or a company, you have the opportunity to name a donkey box. Your name or a name that you choose (e.g. if you wish to name the donkey box in memory of a donkey 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 donkey box (8 available): $2000
- Name the whole sanctuary for donkeys: $60000
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 animal lovers wish to spread their love to less lucky donkeys in different parts of the World where they suffer neglect and abuse. When you sponsor the ROLDA sanctuary for donkeys, you give a chance to animals from communities where they have no other hope, where nobody else cares 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.
Transparency is important for ROLDA, as well as showing gratitude to our dedicated supporters.
Individual donations are listed in 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 donkey 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 building $70.000
Additional cost $20.000
(connect utilities: electricity, water, etc)
Estimated cost (from 1 to 6) $90.000
Wall of fame
- Lauren $100
- Miruna - Raluca $15
- Jacqueline $20
- Liz $30
- Sonja $30
- Debra $50
- Claire $ 50
- Sana € 250
- Kathleen € 50
- Philipp € 10
- Franco $ 10
- Joey $ 60
- Lauren $ 60
- Jennifer $ 100
- Lucia € 360
- Collin € 200
- Molly $ 150
- Anonymous $ 5000
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.
