ROLDA President’s Message May 2023
ROLDA Sverige was founded in 2014 by Lisa, and a group of volunteers dedicated to helping homeless animals live better. The main goals of this association are to help ROLDA Romania: fundraise to keep our shelters functional and rehome dogs from our shelters in Sweden.
The story of Doina
Even though Doina was someone’s pet, she was never given a name. It was us who named her Doina when her family brought her to us after their other dog (who is more than twice her size) bit off her left eye.
The history of ROLDA large shelter read details
In 2004, ROLDA became aware of a horror scenario unfolding on our doorstep. A local steel mill, owned by one of Britain’s and the world’s richest men, Lakshmi Mittal, had become an involuntary home to countless stray dogs desperately seeking shelter and food.
ROLDA in Caracal
My name is Dana and I live in Caracal, Olt county. For many years, I save cats and I consider that the first step to stop the abandons is to spay/neuter cats. I contacted ROLDA who helped me already cover a large number of sterilizations for cats from Caracal town.
ROLDA in Tulcea
Starting in September 2021, ROLDA expanded its support to the nearby county, Tulcea. Danube river separates Galati and Tulcea counties (10 minutes by boat, which was the only connection between these two counties before the bridge was built).
Latest blog posts
Change lives
It’s been 10 years since ROLDA was born as a charity in Romania and also in the USA. It is a time of celebration for all the people that made this dream possible. Some came and go, and some others remained. Our team grew internationally, stronger than ever. But is it enough?
Help for 200 dogs
“Andy is one puppy found in the trash. He suffered multiple lesions and one eye couldn’t be saved. After all the efforts made to save him, Andy is in big danger! 200 dogs including Andy are left starving by the steel plant in Romania. “ said Dana Costin, founder of ROLDA
Sterilization Campaign 2016
Between 29 May – 4 June, in collaboration with the ROLDA Swiss branch (Association ROLDA Suisse), we’ll organize the second mass sterilization and microchipping campaign in Smardan, Andrei Med Vet clinic. The campaign is addressed to all the dogs (and cats) located in the Smardan area which are sheltered and looked after by people with low income.
Food appeal
Every day, countless shelters from all over the World ask for help from their supporters. In the past, ROLDA didn’t request ongoing support for food, except for the winter campaigns when emergency aid food had to go to homeless animals from the surroundings or be donated to pets from families with extremely low income. Recently, our budget suffered radical changes, and today I must ask for your attention and your support to feed our dogs!
Our Gift to You
Everyone at ROLDA is extremely grateful for your support, and we all know that without you, we’d be unable to help homeless dogs in Romania. We apologize if we don’t express our thanks to you enough, and we want to remind you that we haven’t forgotten all you’ve done for homeless dogs in Romania.
Google “Romanian strays”. What do you get?
Countless pictures of dogs in pain. Dogs abused, horrifically injured, or starving to death in our “public shelters”. It is not unusual for them to attack and eat each other out of desperation. After 14 days in this government-sponsored hell, you may wonder what happens next. Mass executions
ROLDA President Message 2015
Buffy is one of the thousands of dogs that ROLDA helped since we begin our rescue mission in Romania. Next year we’ll celebrate 10 years since we are incorporated as a charity in the USA but also in Romania, a country where, for the record, rescue activity started long before 2006.
Save our strays
We are currently helping over 600 dogs to start living again. Their journey to recovery begins with giving them a nutritious meal – almost always they are first in a very long time. The meal costs around 25 cents. That’s because our animal shelter is in my hometown of Galati, an industrial port on the River Danube in Romania – and any donated dollars go a very, very long way.
Message from Founder 2016
Meet Faraon, one of the oldest dogs living in our sanctuaries in Romania. After a life of harassment, abuse, starvation and disease, Faraon came to live with the rest of our dogs and our staff. Thanks to you, Faraon was welcomed into a community of well-trained, compassionate people and hundreds of sociable, healthy, amazing dogs who get professional care, and excellent food and are waiting to be discovered and adopted by a loving person.
Help with your signature
Sign our petition imploring the Romanian government to improve the degrading conditions of its public dog pounds where dogs suffer cruel and inhumane treatment before they are euthanized. Public dog pounds DO NOT exist to protect and care for homeless dogs rescued from the streets or abusive households.
Without faith
During my encounter with the dogcatcher, I witnessed up close the hatred these people have for stray dogs. In their eyes, these dogs are a plague in our society. Their mission is to kill them all before they become an unsolvable problem.
Give the greatest gift
Her eye had been damaged beyond repair. Her family had no money for a vet. There was no medicine, no way for her to escape the searing pain. But she did not complain, nor did she cry out when touched. Buffy came to us terrified, bloody, and alone.
Dogs rescue mission
One morning, as I was walking to the shelter, I saw a tiny stray being dragged by the collar with a catch pole. I started to run towards the van, yelling at the catcher to stop, but he just ignored me. The dog was struggling and fighting to break free, but the catcher threw him into the back of his van like a sack of potatoes. I could hear the whimpers and cries as I ran.
Help ROLDA
When I look around me these days I feel a great sense of pride. It was over a decade ago that we built our first shelter and rescued the first 60 dogs from a lonely and harsh life. Today we have 2 shelters that 600 dogs currently call home. Every day I try to spend time with each one, but the truth is that most days I cannot.
Make a gift, change a life
We may be thousands of miles apart, but our hearts are in the same place. I am just one of too many abandoned and abused dogs left to die on Romania’s streets. But I am one of a very lucky few. I was rescued by ROLDA starving, and broken. They fed me, bathed me, and treated my wounds.
Say a prayer for puppies
My name is Laika, and I am a Romanian girl. I am prettier and younger than I look. But too many litters of little ones have aged me. Last year, there were four puppies, and now there are 6 more but only 2 still alive. I love my children, but I cannot provide for them.
Don’t turn your back
Animal Rescue Mission IN DANGER! Don’t Turn Your Back! Small charities like ROLDA are always facing difficult fundraising challenges that can be devastating to their mission. Constant uncertainty about funding affects progress and results, and the ones who suffer are those we are trying to help.
Your search for a perfect dog STOPS HERE!
Dog for sale or dog for adoption? There are several arguments for each option, but we at ROLDA are focused on finding a loving home for every dog it rescues. We do not offer dogs for sale… only dogs for adoption. We do not oppose the sale of dogs (as long as it’s humane)
Dogs breeds
In Romania… NO dog breed is safe. In 2013, the Romanian government passed a law to kill the entire stray population, including dogs held in public shelters. That means 2.5 million homeless dogs are being…Hunted and slaughtered!!!
An expression of your passion for dogs
To All of ROLDA’s Incredible Supporters, We’ve all been there. Each of us has had times when we were burdened beyond that which we felt we could carry. Our battles may differ, but our resolve remains the same. We fight emotional, family, financial, and work issues that sometimes threaten to overwhelm us. But we never give up.
There’s Still Time to Give
Every year we rescue hundreds of abandoned dogs from the streets of Romania. Some are abandoned by ignorant people who don’t want the responsibility, and others are forced to abandon them because of circumstances out of their control.
Dog for sale
The next time you see a “Dogs for Sale” advertisement, think about this: 2.5 million dogs in Romania are suffering and dying! Every day an abandoned or homeless dog suffers starvation, sickness, neglect, injury, abuse, torture, loneliness and death. These poor dogs suffer alone in silence every single day.
Homeless puppies for adoption need your help!
6,000 puppies are born on the streets of Romania every year. Currently, we at ROLDA only have room for 700 dogs — many of them are puppies waiting for adoption. Why are we asking for help from the UK?
Be someone’s super hero!
Just because a dog is caught on the street and placed in a shelter does not mean it has been rescued. In Romania, most dogs are left to die in those shelters. Sadly, many people think these “rescued” dogs are filthy, sick, violent, and dangerous.
