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.

Your doing a massive job thumb’s up to you!! it comes from the heart, your reward come from the response of those beautiful animals you heal, transforming there lives and finding a wonderful loving home in return of your tireless efforts comes free licks of joy along with heaps of cuddles… keep up the fantastic work!

Working with ROLDA has been a really great experience. I love working with others who are so passionate about saving the lives of animals, and it’s very clear, in everything they do, that ROLDA puts the needs of the animals ahead of anything else. Through my work with ROLDA I’ve been given the opportunity to learn about the difference ROLDA is making in the lives of the stray dogs on the streets of Romania. It’s also given me a chance to share their story, and the stories of the dogs who are rescued, with animal lovers throughout the United States. I hope to work and volunteer with ROLDA for years to come, as I believe in their mission and the love they have for the dogs they rescue. A dream of mine is to visit the rescue one day, to not only meet some of the rescued dogs, but to also meet Dana, the human behind the mission. Dana is a force to be reckon with and I can confidently say her work is making a huge difference in her community, and throughout the world. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with such compassionate people!

Many people would turn away from a street dog because they find them disgusting or are afraid of them. Not me. I know these poor things are just scared and hungry. Of course they’re dirty! They live on the streets! What do you expect? But that doesn’t make them monsters. I just want to make them feel wanted.

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.

After passing the gates of the large shelter ROLDA, the first thing that you’ll be struck by is the silence, almost unreal of this place… and then by the thunderous barking addressed to us by the 700 doggies saved by Dana: greetings-barking often or sometimes, imperative crying-barking for attention! Then there are the emotions: Astonishment in front of the magnitude of the situation, rage against the injustice created by humans, sadness of being powerless witnesses of a miserable life to which the Romanian street dogs have been exposed, joy to finally see them rescued and safe, admiration for the endless commitment and dedication of Dana and her team,…the tears, difficult to keep them from falling… so here we are losing our thoughts deep in the pure looks of the dogs in front of us and dreaming for a better world. When, after the visit, the gates are closed, we know that a piece of ROLDA will remain forever etched in our memory.
Note: Lolita visited for the first time ROLDA shelters in November 2013 and shortly after, she became one of the founders which put the bases of ROLDA Swiss sister-charity. Lolita returns regularly in Romania.

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.