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Adopt a dog

The two private shelters of ROLDA have been home for over 16 years for the dogs rescued from the streets or extreme situations; old dogs or abandoned puppies, dogs hit by cars, beaten, abused, or abandoned, dogs of all sizes, and colors.

Adopt a dog

For many dogs, ROLDA continues to be the only home they know. Our core mission and biggest wish are to find a permanent home and responsible owners for each dog housed in our shelters. Their future was uncertain, their present is safe with us, but their proper place is with loving adopters. Give them this chance; open your soul and your house to a puppy from our shelter. Your new family member’s dog will be forever thankful for your kindness.

If you wish to bring a new furry member into your family, make sure it’s the right time and be fully aware of all the responsibilities that come with adopting a dog. Dogs are social animals who need your time, love and attention. We microchip and sterilize all ROLDA dogs, but owners need to give them quality food, long walks, preventive treatments and regular visits to the vet. If you buy a breed, you will have to pay for these procedures yourself, which is costly. Additionally, best dog owners communicate well with their pets, understand their needs and create a lifelong bond. It is not always easy to become responsible for a dog’s life, but the benefits outweigh the worries, effort, and expense.

Why adopt a dog?

Given a chance, most rescued dogs can easily become loving pets, are intelligent (they needed to survive as strays), eager to please people, willing to learn house rules and tricks.

When you adopt a dog, you don’t just save a life. You change the future of a soul alone in a shelter, and you free up space for another dog in our sanctuary.

Adopt a dog and win a friend for life! Pets are specialists in creating an indestructible bond with their owners. Humans evolved with dogs, and they evolved with us. This is why the ‘man’s best friend‘ is such a deep, primitive bond. A dog will stay through the most challenging moments.

They will make you smile when you are sad, will force you to take a walk even when you are not in the mood, and sleep next to you on cold winter nights, offering you warmth and love.

You’ve decided to adopt a dog

What do you have to do? Many people buy or adopt puppies, but abandonment often happens after they grow up or owners realize they don’t have the time or money to take care of their pets. People are not sufficiently informed and don’t know what it really means to have a dog.

Abandonment is a painful experience for a dog who often refuses to eat because he badly misses his home and human buddies. Some get so depressed they starve themselves to death. We encourage people to adopt rather than buy dogs due to the overwhelming number of abandoned dogs who live in harsh conditions on the streets or spend their whole lives in shelters. Even puppies experience this, waiting for a family that never comes.

To avoid mistakes that can cause such suffering and pain, think before adopting and ask yourself, “Am I willing to take care of a dog for 10-15 years or more?”, “Do I have the necessary financial means?” “Who will take care of him/her when I go on vacation?” Can I take them with me?” “Do I have enough space for a big dog?” “What behaviour would be unacceptable to me and cause me to hand a dog back to the charity? (rescues often display challenging behaviour in the first few months due to their past experiences).

If you are still keen after answering these questions honestly, it’s time to look for your future friend. You can adopt directly from any dog rescue, where you have the chance to meet the dogs and socialize with them, even feed them and take them for a walk. Dogs adopted from shelters are already spayed/neutered, vaccinated, dewormed. Many already know how to walk on a leash and are accustomed to humans.

You also have to pay attention to the dog’s behavior. If you have little ones, make sure the dog is child friendly before adopting. The dog must be a safe friend, well balanced, ready to live with a family, especially if the family has not had dogs in the past and/or has children. Never leave a dog alone with your child! If he is shy, likes to keep a distance from people, or is fearful, he still deserves a chance but should be adopted by a very patient person with knowledge and experience of rescue dogs. If you have other pets, you need to choose a dog that gets along nicely with them or at the very least tolerates them. It is essential to choose a dog according to yours and his personality, his needs and what you are realistically able to offer him.

Depending on the dog’s age, medical history, and background, he may or may not need a few training sessions to teach him how to walk on a leash, socialize with other animals, or behave with strangers. One of the most important commands is to respond when you ask him to stay or come back; these will save you from many possible unpleasant surprises.

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What other conditions do you have to meet?

• Have sufficient financial resources to provide the dog with adequate food, medical care, and regular veterinary visits, as well as unforeseen circumstances.

• Accept visits from ROLDA representatives to see how the dog has integrated into your family, and regularly send us photos, videos and news about the dog.

• Arrange in advance the place where the dog will be permitted in your home, taking into account any electrical cables they may chew, objects that may hurt him (or scare him in the first days of accommodation), objects that he may chew or swallow.

• To be ready to take responsibility for the life of a dog that will become a member of your family from the moment you adopt them.

• You must read, understand and sign an adoption contract with clear responsibilities.

• Have enough free time for daily walks, play, and training

• Make sure you can take time to ensure they are settled before leaving them alone.

• You must be 23+ years old

What does it mean to be a responsible dog owner? Turning a stray dog into a pet is a long journey which we at ROLDA are happy to do to make sure that we deliver the best match furry buddy to you.

These are some of the things you need to commit to:

• Regular vet checks to ensure they are healthy

• Booster vaccinations and deworming regularly

• Teach him to walk on a leash

• Spend time with them

• Train him (teach him basic commands like “Sit!”)

• Not leaving them alone in the house for more than a few hours

• Adoption is one of the best things to save lives and help solve the enormous stray dog overpopulation issue.

• Update the dog’s microchips with any new information such as phone numbers of addresses.

If you want to adopt a dog from ROLDA, please fill in the form, and our staff will contact you as soon as possible.