It started with a wish!
A wish made by a big beautiful pup who wanted nothing more than a forever home to call her own. And a wish made by Lee, who wanted a furry friend to join his family… And a wish made by ROLDA who wanted to make these wishes come true.
Lee’s story
Lee’s story began the day Lee decided to take a look at our list of dogs waiting to be adopted… a list made up of all the goodest boys and girls who want a real home and family.
Lee saw Thalia on this list and instantly fell in love, he applied to adopt her.
ROLDA
At ROLDA we love the dogs we care for and we get so excited when a dog is reserved, but we are also careful… its a lot of responsibility, so we make sure to give lots of information during the adoption process and we do home checks to make sure the dogs are going to a suitable new home.
Lee was perfect. He had experience with big dogs like Thalia and a lovely home where she would feel safe.
Thalia Gets Ready
Now Thalia could start to get ready to go to her new home!
… Once a dog is reserved at the shelter, they are neutered (if they are not already done) and taken to the vet for vaccinations and health checks, and then their passports are prepared and their travel documents made ready.
A day or two before the transport, Thalia headed over to our spa (the grooming station), where she was given the full royal treatment, ready to make a great first impression.
First Flori, who works at the smaller shelter, bathed her and made sure she was all clean for her journey. Then she gave Thalia’s fur a good brush and clipped her nails… And of course Thalia was given lots of goodbye strokes and treats.
She would definitely be missed!
The Journey Begins
For international adoptions, we use Hope4paws Pet Transport. The vans are modern and air conditioned and they take really good care of the dogs.
The journey to the UK takes two days by road and EuroTunnel. This part is always hard and we can only imagine how Thalia felt… Confused and uncertain, in a strange van, surrounded by new sounds and smells, but everyone works together to make it as calming as possible… and soon, it was over, the van rumbled to a stop. The doors opened and Thalia found herself greeted by Lee, a stranger then, but not for long… He was her wish come true, and she his!
Now…
Thalia’s story started just before the new year, and we receive lots of regular updates from Lee.
It is clear to see that Thalia is loving her new life. She and Lee are best friends now. She has a bed of her own (a whole sofa) and enjoys long walks on the beach (which is five minutes away from her home).
She is happy.
ROLDA – THIS is what international adoption is all about and why our team works so hard to make wishes come true.
Since it started in 2015, ROLDA UK has been actively involved in solving the Romanian stray animal crisis.
ROLDA is starting this project in the UK and hopefully, over the years, we will expand it to other countries.
How you can help a #lifechanger to transform homeless people’s lives?
The first phase of the project: Through 2024, ROLDA UK volunteers will distribute emergency packs to homeless people for their pets.
We have identified a number of items that will keep a pet healthy and safe, so they can continue to live happily with their owner.
First Aid Kit with Thermometer
EmergencyBlanket
NailClippers
TickRemover
BagsDispenser
CollapsibleBowl
Fleece Blanket100 x 70 cm
Why should you sponsor this project? Here are a few reasons:
You want to support the special bond between a pet and a person, who most likely, has nothing else
You care about homeless people
You love animals, no matter where they are
You want to contribute so less fortunate people can enjoy the company of healthy animals
You understand the benefits of animals in a persons life
Why are we helping homeless people’s pets?
In addition to rough sleepers, homelessness includes those living in hostels, sofa surfing, or living in other forms of temporary accommodation (the “Hidden Homeless”).
Source: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08927936.2021.1878683
Homelessness is linked with poverty and social isolation and is considered a risk factor for both poor physical and psychological health.
Why #lifechanger: What pets mean to their owners.
These quotes were extracted from interviews given by homeless people in the US and the UK about how their pets transformed their lives:
“You have to be clean to have the dog…My dog comes first in my life. I had to ask: would I rather use drugs, or feed my dog? Because I fell in love with my dog, I gave up the needle. Gave up the pipe. I gave up liquor. Everything.
Monty is my best friend because being homeless, you don’t really have friends unless you’re drinking and doing drugs and all. You just walk the streets and just try to find what you can on the streets. He gives me energy because he can make me get out and walk.
Over the years, I have faced difficult moments, like everyone does. During those moments, I never felt alone. The company of the right people, of family and friends, is always special, but the company of a friend that never goes away when you need it the most; a friend that loves you exactly the way you are; a friend you can feel close to, who is always ready to cheer you up …that’s a pet. A dog, in my case.
It’s true that you probably rescued your pet, but pets have the ability to save us, too, and for many people, that is the case: from small things like improving their owners health, social life, etc to lifesaving situations, where because of their pets, people have stopped taking drugs and rediscovered the joy of living.
Pets are pure, loyal, full of good emotions; they bring to light the best version of ourselves in a way nothing else can… And if these amazing creatures can stay with people who have lost almost everything, they can be the #lifechangers they need.
I kindly ask you to spare a penny to help ROLDA help homeless people’s pets. If you know the special feeling that comes from enjoying the company of your pet in the comfort of your home, imagine how special that feeling would be if you had no comfort, no home, nothing else. I believe projects like these have a chance to really make a difference and I know that ROLDA supporters know to #givehope and share in the most amazing way.
Thank you.”
Dana Costin
Founder of ROLDA
Recycle your used printer cartridges for our charity so we can save more dogs.
ROLDA has teamed up with www.recycle4charity.co.uk to help raise funds for stray dogs in Romania —while helping the environment— by encouraging you to recycle your ink cartridges.
Why recycle your ink cartridges?
To protect our environment. Did you know that…
The plastic used in the average cartridge will take 1,000 years to decompose
The average ink cartridge can be reused between 3 to 7 times
An estimated 350 million cartridges end up in landfill each year
That’s a lot of unnecessary waste! Many of us are not aware that most ink cartridges can be recycled, or that many charities collect them to help raise funds.
How will recycling your cartridges help save dogs in Romania?
When you send us your cartridges we ensure that they go through the proper channels to get recycled in exchange for money. We use the money raised to:
Buy dog food for homeless dogs and dogs at our shelters
Buy medicine, vitamins, and medical supplies
Pay for veterinary bills (including operations and aftercare)
Organize spay/neuter campaigns
Organize vaccination campaigns
How much we can help our dogs depends on how many cartridges people recycle. Our goal is to raise awareness about cartridge recycling and the positive impact it has on our environment and for dogs in Romania.
Ready to recycle your cartridges?
How do I recycle my cartridges?
Please visit www.recycle4charity.co.uk
We know that, having adopted an animal from us, you want to give them the best life possible.
With advancements in veterinary medicine, it’s essential to choose the right insurance for your pet so you can get the right treatment for them without having to worry about the cost.
Not all pet insurance is the same. The type of policy you choose can have implications on your pet’s veterinary care, so it’s important to choose the right cover.
When shopping around for a policy, we suggest that you consider the following:
● What are the Veterinary Fees excess?
● Will the insurer pay the vet directly?
● Does the policy provide lifetime cover, or are conditions excluded after 12 months?
● Does the policy cover congenital, hereditary, hip-related, dental and behavioral conditions?
● Will your premium increase if you make a claim?
We work in partnership with Petplan® who offer a range of plans to suit every budget. Take a look below:
No cover is provided for pre-existing conditions. Your premium will increase over the lifetime of your policy and terms, conditions and excesses apply and may be varied on renewal. Typically a 20% excess (in addition to the fixed excess) is introduced at the pet’s 10th birthday for cats and dogs and 7th birthday for rabbits and some breeds of dog on our Covered for Life® plans. On our Essential plan, the 20% excess is introduced at the cat or dog’s 8th birthday (5th birthday for some dog breeds).
Why not try before you buy…
Take advantage of Petplan’s 4-week trial. Activate 4 weeks of free insurance for your pet and receive help covering unexpected veterinary fees up to £2,000. To start your 4 weeks free policy pop into our charity or to activate your own voucher, click here. There is no obligation to buy a full policy.
Terms, conditions and excesses apply and may be varied on renewal. No cover is provided for pre-existing conditions. Petplan is a trading name of Pet Plan Limited and Allianz Insurance plc.
An infection was eating away at her skin… But not her soul.
Chick was found not far from our shelter. She was extremely dehydrated and full of parasites. Flies were feeding on her bloody, cracked skin caused by repeated biting and scratching. She had chewed through most of her fur, leaving her damaged skin exposed to horrible infections which, sadly, had already begun to consume her from the outside in. The truth is, she looked like a monster, a zombie. Passersby avoided looking at her, probably from disgust or pity. Some did acknowledge her by offering pieces of bread, which she refused to eat…surely from feeling sick.
Chick obviously needed immediate medical treatment to restore her appetite. And that’s when our ROLDA Rescue Team stepped in to help this poor soul. It was like she was heading toward our shelter to beg for help because she could no longer withstand the pain. Chick fought to reach us…she fought for aid…and her commendable strength paid off, because, the moment she found us her life began to change. That’s right…we didn’t find Chick. She found us!
After a couple of medicated baths, Chick began to show positive progress. Her appetite returned. She ate everything we gave her, from doggy biscuits to roasted chicken. In fact, she ate two fully roasted chickens in 10 minutes. It was a pleasure watching her enjoy her meals.
However, Chick’s road to full recovery is a long one. Her skin needs lots of treatment, including injections, antibiotics, and many more medical baths. ROLDA exists to help dogs like Chick to restore them back to health so that they may be eligible to become someone’s best friend.
ROLDA exists because of your amazing and constant support! Donate to ensure that Chick continues to receive her treatment, as well as to help more dogs like her that are still roaming the streets of Romania.
Help us help them!
As you read these lines, please be as generous as you can for thousands of homeless dogs who are suffering.
Please check our Before/After page to see more special cases of dogs who have been rescued from death and are now safe and happy because you care and believe in our work.
Adopt one of our dogs
Dogs who need a forever home. They’ve all been living on the streets, exposed to unimaginable dangers. Today, they are safe with us in our ROLDA sanctuaries, waiting for their forever home. Do you have one to give?
ROLDA saves Chick’s skin… Help more Chicks in need…
“All of us have experienced that uncomfortable itch on our body that we want to scratch but can’t because it is out of our reach. Now imagine that your entire body itches and you can scratch every inch. You scratch and scratch but there is no relief. You’ve scratched until your skin gets bloody and cannot stop because the pain has become insufferable, getting worse every day. Your mangled skin is now oozing pus because it has become infected, making you lose your appetite. You’re a step away from septicemia, a horrible body infection, bringing you an inch closer to death. That’s how Chick felt as her skin condition progressed while roaming the streets of Romania. Thankfully, we found her just in time, but sadly, there are still hundreds more street dogs suffering skin problems (or other medical problems) that eventually die before we are able to help them.”
– Dana Costin, ROLDA Founder
Choose a certificate that saves lives
The best gift you can give to your special friend is respect.
Surprise your friends with eco-friendly certificates that express your values and commitment to voiceless animals in need.
Join Teaming group for just 1 EUR/month
Shop to save lives. Order a virtual gift!
Hera’s hell: dog found in tar – fighting for her life.
Hera was found on the streets. Her entire body was covered in tar that had matted her fur and even oozed deep to her skin. We can’t imagine the pain she had suffered…well, to be honest, we don’t want to imagine.
From the texture of her fur and skin, we believe Hera had been in this condition for weeks. It’s a miracle that she managed to survive. We had to wash her with oil to remove the tar, dirt, and dead skin before we could begin to treat her with medicated baths and antibiotics. She is in poor health, but our hope is that she will pull through.
Thanks to our veterinarian, Andrei, and our amazing Rescue Team, Hera is making good progress. Her recovery will take some time, but we have faith that she will overcome her tragic past and will be a loving, faithful, and grateful companion to a lucky family one day!
Help us help them!
As you read these lines, please be as generous as you can for thousands of homeless dogs who are suffering.
Please check our Before/After page to see more special cases of dogs who have been rescued from death and are now safe and happy because you care and believe in our work.
Adopt one of our dogs
Dogs who need a forever home. They’ve all been living on the streets, exposed to unimaginable dangers. Today, they are safe with us in our ROLDA sanctuaries, waiting for their forever home. Do you have one to give?
Hera teaches us that her beauty is not only skin deep…
“Hera felt Hell consume her entire body. The flaming hot tar seeped through her fur until it began to burn her flesh. She was extremely scared and in insufferable agony. I can’t describe how much she had to endure. I don’t even want to imagine. But Hera is a tough girl, and the worst is already behind her, and for all of us here at ROLDA. Of course, she needs time to heal both her external and emotional wounds, and our ROLDA team is here to make sure that Hera gets the best medical care and that she will never suffer again. Thank you all for helping us save dogs like Hera.”
– Dana Costin, ROLDA Founder
Choose a certificate that saves lives
The best gift you can give to your special friend is respect.
Surprise your friends with eco-friendly certificates that express your values and commitment to voiceless animals in need.
Join Teaming group for just 1 EUR/month
Shop to save lives. Order a virtual gift!
Buck’s story
BUCK was rescued from the street after being hit by speeding a car. We were contacted by an individual who had witnessed the horrible collision. Moments later, our Rescue Team arrived at the scene to transport Buck to our clinic. Buck was lying on his side, urinating and shaking uncontrollably as he was being helped. Due to lack of equipment in Galati’s veterinarian clinics, Buck had to be driven to another town to have x-rays taken. We were thrilled to learn that Buck’s injuries were not life-threatening and that he would be able to walk again.
For days Buck lay on his side while we treated his wounds and administered injections. After the pain subsided, Buck began therapy. Our staff moved his hind legs manually and helped him perform special exercises every day to help his recovery. Not long after we published Buck’s story on social media, he was wanted for adoption by a lady in Germany named Sabine.
Unfortunately, Buck’s Snap Test revealed that he had heartworm disease and had to be treated before he could be adopted.
Buck was treated for heartworm from the proceeds of our international heartworm fundraiser; however, we were all terrified that we had diagnosed the fatal disease too late. It was a great relief to learn that Buck was no longer infected with heartworm disease, and was adopted immediately by Sabine from Germany on October 12, 2017.
ROLDA saves BUCK after being hit by a car. Now happily adopted. Help us save more.
“I fell for Buck the moment I saw his pictures. I just knew in my heart that he had to be part of my life. Adopting Buck (my cuddly bear) is one of the best decisions I’ve made. He is such a gentle and calm soul, and we’re getting along so well, and he is loving being part of my pack! He’s such a clever guy. I wish and hope to have a lot of amazing years together with Buck.” – Sabine
Help us help them!
As you read these lines, please be as generous as you can for thousands of homeless dogs who are suffering.
Please check our Before/After page to see more special cases of dogs who have been rescued from death and are now safe and happy because you care and believe in our work.
Adopt one of our dogs
Dogs who need a forever home. They’ve all been living on the streets, exposed to unimaginable dangers. Today, they are safe with us in our ROLDA sanctuaries, waiting for their forever home. Do you have one to give?
Choose a certificate that saves lives
The best gift you can give to your special friend is respect.
Surprise your friends with eco-friendly certificates that express your values and commitment to voiceless animals in need.
.
Join Teaming group for just 1 EUR/month
Shop to save lives. Order a virtual gift!
From waiting to die to willing to live: A stray’s story of revival.
BAR was discovered behind a bush whimpering softly and breathing erratically as if he no longer had the strength or the will to communicate his agony to the world…as if he literally chose this spot to spend his dying days…alone, as if not to disturb the world around him.
Perhaps it was a relief for Bar to be leaving this world. A world that welcomed him, like every stray, with cruelty, loneliness, and injustice. A world that forced him to starve… endure sickness…to suffer unjustified ignorance and torture…basically, a world that treated him unfairly without any reason whatsoever.
Yes, for Bar it was a great relief to be departing such a world. He could no longer walk to find garbage to eat on the streets. He could no longer crawl to look for a drinking water source. He could no longer even search for a reason to keep trying. So, lay behind a bush…waiting for the pain to end.
Help us help them!
As you read these lines, please be as generous as you can for thousands of homeless dogs who are suffering.
Please check our Before/After page to see more special cases of dogs who have been rescued from death and are now safe and happy because you care and believe in our work.
Adopt one of our dogs
Dogs who need a forever home. They’ve all been living on the streets, exposed to unimaginable dangers. Today, they are safe with us in our ROLDA sanctuaries, waiting for their forever home. Do you have one to give?
ROLDA restores life to strays. Bar’s story shows how
“ROLDA has a very strict no-kill policy and a responsible evaluation procedure that examines each rescue dog individually, thoroughly, and humanely to formulate the best rehabilitation program vital to their recovery. At one point, Bar’s leg and overall health were so poor that we thought he could not be saved. But we regained our hope quickly…we regained our belief inBar’s chances…and we will remain by his side through his entire healing process.”
– Dana Costin, ROLDA Founder
Choose a certificate that saves lives
The best gift you can give to your special friend is respect.
Surprise your friends with eco-friendly certificates that express your values and commitment to voiceless animals in need.
Join Teaming group for just 1 EUR/month
Shop to save lives. Order a virtual gift!
I write this letter because it’s important that this dog story be told. I don’t intend to make you sad, but if you read the letter until the end, you will agree with me that we still can save the dog’s World and reshape the future of many who still have a chance and for whom it’s not yet too later.
I came as a puppy into your family and you liked me at the beginning.
But when I grew bigger, you put me on a chain in front of your house. And forget that I existed in your life. I remain alone in my small World, in my little improvised doghouse and this is how years were passing. Days when it rained inside, when I freeze, when I starve, days when I was so alone! And this is how years were passing and I became old.
My legs hurt, and my eyes were tired. I felt many times so sick. And so alone! You grabbed me one day and chased me off your garden. That day, I became a stray, one of the many dogs that become homeless when we get too old.
It’s my last winter …and again, I haven’t eaten for days, it’s hard to walk to search for food, it’s hard to eat it with my teeth, I got really tired. So I lay down, on the floor near the wall of a house, which could be mine, and I fall asleep. That day I got my wings and I moved up in the clouds, in the Dogs Heaven where my dreams come true and where I am fine.
Why it has to be like that and people can’t be dogs’ best friends on Earth, while we are still alive? I write this letter because I know you care. I know some people do care about dogs like me. I remind you shelters are overcrowded and some dogs still have a chance to be rescued. No dog should die nameless, starving, freezing, no dog deserves that because you might not know, but we, dogs, hope until the very last moment.
Please help shelter dogs! Every euro gives hope, food gives warmth and helps us to stay alive and continue to hope to be rescued by real humans. And at ROLDA, thanks to you, we do help dogs. We shelter them until a forever home is found. Or for the rest of their lives.
Dogs like Artemis.
She was found abandoned at the shelter gate, wrapped in a bag and severely hit on her head, terribly scared. Due to being hit so hard, she temporarily lost sight in one eye.
She needed time to recover and trust people again. We gave her ample TLC and medical care. Artemis is still in our care, 6 years later. She has grown old with us. She was overlooked for a forever home because of her large size and her high energy levels.
00:00
If I will take only 1 minute from your time, I would quickly tell you that ROLDA continues to need you to transform the lives of abused and neglected dogs in a country with 2.5 million strays. Because every minute in Romania a dog is hit by a car and suffer until he passes away, alone. When you will finish reading the whole message, 1 more will be gone in dogs Heaven, either from under a truck wheel or from a horrible dog pound.
00:20
Please listen… I have 40 more seconds left to give meaning to time that is passing too quickly, word after word, second after the second and to ask you to stay TOGETHER and empower this time with the gift of life. Because you have the power to make from this minute a unique opportunity. This minute, it’s the time of a whole life. A life like Pingu’s.
00:30
We can transform a dog’s life to prevent him to end up under a truck wheel or in filthy prisons called public shelters. Pingu was saved by ROLDA from the local public shelter, he was living in a kennel full of large dogs which wouldn’t give this gentle dog any chance for survival. With eyes full of tears, our mind was blocked by hundreds of images of dogs we already met during that day, but in that second, when we saw Pingu, we knew he is too vulnerable and needs our help. ROLDA saved Pingu from sure death, we transported him to our shelter and in June he travels to a forever new home in Canada.
00:50
10 seconds left won’t be enough to describe a visit to the public shelter, how dogs climb the gate, how they stuck their heads between bars, looking into your eyes to see your soul. But to cheer you up, I have enough time left to tell you how gorgeous Pingu’s smile is today. Every minute is vital especially for those who run out of time, suffering in this cruel world. The good news is, for some, we can make a difference before it will be too late. It only takes a minute, but it will last forever. My time expired, a promise is a promise. If you love all dogs from your big heart, be the promise they need.
How can you help us?
PS.: For me, for ROLDA team and all wonderful supporters like you, 7884000 minutes already gone, from the beginning in 2006 when we officially became a registered charity. 15 years already passed. Together, we are the change for animals in need.
For our 15 years anniversary, we couldn’t have a dream to celebrate this moment with anyone else but you. Because with you, together, we’re the people we’ve been waiting for to give these animals a better future.