I would like to thank you and your staff for blessing us with such a wonderful dog, Cookie is adorable. We got him in September and as the days passed settling in, delightful characteristics unfolded. His excited pant on greeting you, his nose erect then breaking out into a funny bellowing howl. Wriggling on his back contentedly alleviating his itch and his big paws shaking about, he resembled Baloo the hilarious gentle bear in the cartoon Jungle Book! Our Baloo had landed and certainly won a big place in our hearts! A BIG THANK YOU!

I have always been an enormous animal lover, dogs being my absolute favorite animal of all. I have three gorgeous rescue dogs, one of which I adopted from ROLDA in 2012. I was so bowled over by the fantastic rescue that Dana had built up from literally nothing. I followed the rescue over the years, feeling frustrated that I couldn’t do more to help them.
My ROLDA rescue, Mia is such an amazing girl, I couldn’t bare to think of other dogs like her suffering on the streets. I saw a post on Facebook from Dana one day asking for volunteers and jumped at the chance to get involved. I started off just helping with the inbox, sending thank you emails and answering inquiries. Then this year I became ROLDA’s adoption coordinator for the UK. The role is so rewarding, I get to help find loving forever homes for dogs who have had the most awful start in life. Once a dog is adopted that also frees space at the rescue for another dog to be saved from the streets. The ROLDA team are so caring, I’ve had so much support and help in learning the role from the UK manager Gemma. I now feel part of an amazing team that’s doing something really special. I would highly recommend volunteering, even if you only have an hour a week to spare, you could be helping to do something really incredible.

ROLDA is my greatest passion , it truly gives my life meaning and a great purpose to help the Romanian dogs . With the COVID crisis just like any other hard times in dog rescue, it only motivates me to help the ones in need even more . The dogs are helpless without us and I keep seeing their furry faces in my mind. Even though we cant travel at the time there are so many other things we can focus on to help , like getting more new happy homes ready for the time when we can finally bring all lucky dogs to Sweden again and raise money to maka life better for the ones still in Romania .Beethoven is the best thing that has happened to me and my family. we love him beyond words and he goes everywhere with us . It amazes us how smart he is and so good with everyone and everything. He loves children and other dogs and he walks like a perfect gentleman with my 88 year old grandma. He loves to cuddle and we smile all the time thanks to him. He is also my great motivation and reminder to help all his other friends that are still back in Romania . He is my lucky rescue mascot and best friend.

I have worked with Dana and Rolda since my family adopted 2 dogs from Rolda in 2011. Dana has always been professional and passionate about her work for Rolda and the dogs. Through good and bad times, we have worked together trying to improve the life of stray dogs in Galati. Danas strength and compassion for these dogs have impressed me, she never gives up!

We are impressed with what ROLDA has accomplished with a small amount of support. There are no other non-profits in Romania with ROLDA’s reach and dedication, which is why I support their mission. Dana is passionate, driven and effective in all she does with ROLDA. We will continue to support her efforts because we believe that helping homeless dogs in Romania also helps the community.

Die Hunde mit den traurigen Augen
Man sieht sie immer wieder vorbei kommen auf dem Internet. Traurige Hunde, dreckig in verkommenen, zugigen, feuchten Verschlägen. Auch sie werden zur Adoption angeboten und auch ich möchte sie am liebsten alle retten, denn sie schauen mit ihren traurigen Augen direkt in mein Herz. Es wäre fantastisch so einen Hund zu retten! Für diesen Hund würde das alles bedeuten aber es wäre ein Tropfen auf den heißen Stein. Nichts wird sich ändern. Ich habe mich dazu entschlossen mich für ROLDA einzusetzen. Einer Organisation die in mehreren Ländern tätig ist und der es auf den ersten Blick richtig gut zu gehen scheint. Warum? Weil Dana eine Vision hat, weil Dana weiter schaut, sich unermüdlich für das große Ganze einsetzt. Vor mehr als einem Jahrzehnt begann sie mit einem Traum, dem Traum davon um den Straßenhunden in ihrer Region einen sicheren Zufluchtsort bieten zu können. Inzwischen ist ein, für rumänische Verhältnisse, solides Tierheim entstanden. Medische Versorgung wird gewährleistet, alle Hunde können regelmäßig geimpft werden, erhalten täglich Futter und frisches Wasser. Keine Selbstverständlichkeit in rumänischen Zwingern. Dana ist bemüht das Tierheim stetig auszubreiten, anzupassen und zu verbessern. Aber nicht nur das, sie hilft auch den vielen Hunden in und um Galati. Sie hilft auch den Leuten. Sie können ihre Tiere in regelmäßigen Abständen kostenlos kastrieren lassen. Sie betreibt Aufklärungsarbeit. Sie hat vor über zehn Jahren einen kleinen Samen Hoffnung gesät und nun müssen wir dieses zarte Pflänzchen hegen und pflegen, damit es groß und stark werden kann. Adoptiert man einen Hund von ROLDA, hilft man mindestens zweien. Ein Hund bekommt ein Zuhause, ein weiterer kann von der Straße ins sichere Tierheim kommen. Es kommt Geld frei für medizinische Hilfe. Ich glaube Dana hat mittlerweile ganz aufgehört zu schlafen. Denn es ist immer wieder ein harter Kampf. Das Tierheim verschlingt viel Geld und Kraft. Guter, sinnvoller Tierschutz kostet nun einmal Geld. Ich weiß, das nicht jeder einen Hund adoptieren kann und nicht jeder hat das Geld für einen Sponsorhund aber ohne eure Spenden kann auch Dana ihre Arbeit nicht fortsetzen und alles was in den letzten zehn Jahren aufgebaut worden ist wäre verloren. Wirklich jede noch so kleine Spende hilft, denn zusammen sind wir viele und können viel erreichen. Und ja, Australien brennt und vielleicht steht bald die ganze Welt in Brand und wir fragen ständig Geld für rumänische Straßenhunde. Aber ich hoffe doch das viele von euch, die unsere Seite abonniert haben, das getan haben weil sie sich für das Leid der rumänischen Hunde interessieren. Und egal wofür ihr euch entscheidet, wen ihr unterstützen wollt, es ist in erster Linie wichtig, das man etwas macht. Damit diese Welt jeden Tag ein kleines bisschen besser wird.

A few months ago, we were desperately reaching out for support to animal aid organisations around the world, as we are focusing on animal rescue in Romania. Very few have replied, and the only one that actually offered support were our neighbours based in Galati, ROLDA. We are also very appreciative of the fact they decided to support fellow rescuers in Romania, and thus, animals outside their immediate reach, as this kind of cooperation is unfortunately not so common although so necessary. Thank you for giving me this experience, I have felt so welcome and taken care of here and Fiorella.. I can never thank you enough for her.

Silje lives in Norway and she has cats (she even trains cats!) but her first dog was a ROLDA dog named Red, which arrived “home” 2 winters ago. Since that moment, Silje learn a lot about the dogs behavior and her new skills helped her understand better the dogs from our shelters, when she visited us for a week in June 2014.

Silje’s views about the big shelter – a home for about 650 dogs.
The big shelter is just that, big. There are a lot of dogs and it is time consuming to give everyone some individual attention but it is so worth it. Some of them are a bit shy or afraid but most of them come running right up to the fence and want you to pet them. The cages are clean and the dogs are in good health and by the way they react to people you can see that they are looked after with care. You can also see it in the interaction between the men and the dogs. They know each other. And some of the dogs that was terrified when they first came are now the first ones to run up to greet you. Of course it is not the ideal environment, the ideal idea of a loving forever home, but if you have ever seen the inside of a public shelter or the dire circumstances some of the street dogs live in, this is doggie heaven compared.

Silje volunteered to the small shelter, too!
The small shelter is another experience all together. Flori is the nicest person you will ever meet and she truly loves “her” dogs. And they love her back! You get much closer to the dogs there as the most sociable walk around in the beautiful garden and the pens are much more open so it is easier to get close to the dogs there as well. They have doghouses and crates they can go lie in but they mostly stay together in the shade and relax or play. There is a cottage there as well with a small kitchen and a bathroom so that’s very practical for visitors and volunteers, and also if you want some private moments with one of the dogs. What I have done most while I’ve been here is to sit under the cherry trees with the dogs and cuddle and play with them or just watch them interact and I could do that forever I think.

Silje is modest …because she did more then sitting. She even trained some dogs to “sit” for the right cookie! All together, having Silje with us, even for only a few days, was a great experience. I wish all the volunteers would behave with respect for the work undertaken and treat the dogs as she did. And…she did some other amazing thing: one more dog happy! Fiorella will be prepared to travel to Norway soon and join Silje family where she will also meet Red.

I enjoyed it very much, to see the dogs, cuddle most of them, it was a little hard to see the big shelter for me, but then I realised how lucky they were to have you and to be there with you! Being with you, means that they will find their forever home very soon, and in the meantime they are safe and taken care of! I’m amazed of all the things you’ve done for the dogs! They are all so happy, sweet and full of love, like they forgot all the pain they went through in the street! And I don’t have enough words to describe how it makes me feel. You give hope and love to these dogs, it’s just amazing… Thank you so much for everything you do! You are a real angel!

A few months ago, we were desperately reaching out for support to animal aid organisations around the world, as we are focusing on animal rescue in Romania. Very few have replied, and the only one that actually offered support were our neighbours based in Galati, ROLDA. We are also very appreciative of the fact they decided to support fellow rescuers in Romania, and thus, animals outside their immediate reach, as this kind of cooperation is unfortunately not so common although so necessary.

Åse bor i Bergen, Norge. Hun har adoptert hunder og katter fra Norge og Spania, og nå også en hund, Maja, fra Romania. Det bor rundt 600 andre hunder på våre hjelpesentre som venter på noen som Åse. Om ikke fra Norge, så kanskje fra Nederland, Storbritannia eller andre steder. De fleste Rumenere er skamfulle eller irriterte over gatehundenes tilstedeværelse, men behandler ikke hundene humant. Mennesker som Åse gjør at vi fremdeles beholder håpet på at noen forstår viktigheten av arbeidet vårt, respekterer hva vi gjør og oppmuntrer og promoterer vår virksomhet. I tillegg til å støtte oss økonomisk, kan du komme og jobbe som frivillig hos oss eller du kan dele våre aktiviteter og nyhetsbrev på nettet. Om du ser etter et loddent familiemedlem, ber vi deg huske på oss. Vi har mange vakre, smarte, friske og sunne hunder i alle størrelser, farger og fasonger som venter på deg.

Dana, I want to tell you such a big thank you for your kindness. You do such an inspiring job for all those dogs. I’m feeling so blessed to have experienced that in Galati Romania and I’m completely for your cause. Sending your best greetings and take care of you and all those sweet dogs.

Difficult to express in only some words the emotion felt coming to visit ROLDA shelters. I was expecting to see dirty dogs lying in bad conditions ….this is what we, Swiss people, hear about Romanian “shelters”. But in fact, when I arrived I saw all these adorable dogs, healthy, clean, well fed, in large well-appointed cages or released. No chains around their necks. And all these cages have little importance. The only thing is the love that emanates from everywhere … The love that dogs have spontaneously given me, the love that they were given to Dana and to the employees… which are not just “working” in the shelter, but they are these dogs’ only family they have. That’s what touched me, the love that emanates from this place. Even if it’s hard to see all these dogs that are waiting for a family, I know they are getting the best in this shelter. The dogs are there, full of affection, waiting a little attention from human side … And that’s why I need to continue to help them.