Abandoning an animal is a decision that is always traumatic to the pet and sometimes to the owner. In most cases, pet abandonment is avoidable. There are many excuses said by pet owners who abandon their pets, the most common being the animal’s age, health, size, and behavior. If their pet gets pregnant, an owner may choose to abandon her to avoid dealing with the birth and her litter. Alternatively, some people choose to keep the mother and abandon her litter to avoid taking care of more animals in their household.

A pet owner’s personal situation is also a factor. Financial issues such as increased debt, sudden unemployment, or job relocation often lead to pet abandonment. Other personal reasons include the birth of a child, declining health, and moving to a place where pets are not allowed.

Pets are also abandoned for inhumane reasons. For example, people making money off animal breeding, fighting, or racing, will abandon animals when they are no longer considered “valuable assets.”

While pet abandonment happens all over the world, it is prevalent in low-income communities such as Galati region. To deter animal abandonment caused by financial issues, ROLDA helps low-income pet owners pay for veterinary bills and offers free microchip identification. These microchips are registered with the RECS database, which can trace if a dog has been abandoned.

We encourage pet owners who are considering abandoning their pets to contact us to receive them in our shelters (if space is available). If no spaces are available, we try to help them to cover the vet bills, if their decision is made because financial reasons.

ROLDA does not condone animal abandonment. Pets are not accessories that can be thrown away and forgotten. Pets are loyal, loving companions who need love, care, and devotion.

Please contact us if you can’t keep your pets. It’s the responsible thing to do! And don’t forget that abandoning your dog, for example, is punished by current Romanian laws!