ancaflori, Author at ROLDA UK

How easy is it to adopt a dog in Scotland when you opt for a shelter in Romania?

If you are ready to make a small (or big) dog happy, we are more than able and prepared to help you. We currently house around 700 dogs in our shelters, but we have helped thousands of dogs throughout the years. These dogs are rescued from the streets in various health conditions but receive the necessary care once they arrive at our ROLDA shelter in Galati County. We get them examined and treated by a veterinarian, give them food and a place to rest, vaccinate them, and start getting them ready for adoption.

The veterinary clinics we work with immediately take in the dogs we rescue who are suffering the most and who need urgent care. Some are so badly injured that they end up spending days, weeks, or even months in these clinics, where doctors try their best to save their legs, vital organs, and even their lives. It is traumatic for the dogs and challenging for everyone involved.

By choosing to adopt a dog in Scotland, you are not just bringing a new member into your family, but also providing a second chance at life for a dog in need. Your decision to adopt directly supports our team’s efforts to save hundreds of lives each year. We can only continue this important work with your help and the knowledge that our dogs have the opportunity to be in their own homes, cared for by loving families like yours.

A lot of effort goes into what we do, from rescuing dogs who get hit by cars and giving them a second chance at life to constantly making sure that we have the funds to cover all these expenses through individual donations and sponsorships. We need to never lose sight of the final goal: adoption. While some of our residents do end up spending their entire lives in our shelters, others have a great shot at catching the eye of someone in Scotland looking to adopt a dog.

We save these dogs from the streets and abusive households and help them become adoptable companions in every possible way. So, if you are ready to adopt a dog in Scotland, we have already done most of the work for the adoption process. Apart from the international documents with your name on them, everything else is checked off the list. The dogs who are in good health, ready to travel, and have been cleared by professionals as being safe around people and families with or without children are ready to be adopted.

You can choose from 700 dogs of all sizes and constitutions with different personalities. You are sure to find a great match. We strive to provide as much information on the dog as possible (since most are rescued from the streets) because it is in our best interest to find an animal you can care for. If that dog ends up abandoned or given up another time around, the trauma would be very hard to overcome. Make sure you get everything you need to know about your future furry friend and make a responsible decision when you decide to adopt a dog in Scotland.

If you have made it to this page, you are serious and truly want to adopt a dog in Liverpool.

We congratulate you for choosing to adopt a rescued dog, and we are grateful you have chosen one from Romania, which has an extremely low animal adoption rate. You are doing your part in helping dogs who deserve a second chance at life. You are also an ally and friend to animal lovers in Romania, trying to save as many dogs as possible. We look forward to guiding you through our adoption process and uniting you with your new best friend!

Adopt a dog in Liverpool and help a struggling shelter in Romania!

Your decision to adopt a dog from ROLDA will significantly impact our work at our shelter. What’s the big deal, you may ask? Maybe you did this once before, and maybe most of your friends have rescued animals as pets, so it feels natural for you to want to help such an animal. For us, it means the world.

First, we need international adoption plans to work because adoption rates are very low in Romania, while abandonment rates are very high. We must do everything possible to give our pups a real chance. So, we ask you to adopt a dog in Liverpool and help free up a space for another dog to be taken in, treated, fed, bathed, and given the same chance.

We take great care of our residents, but there are over 700 dogs here, and although we feed, pet, walk, and cuddle as much as we can with them, it is extremely challenging to provide each with the type of love and attention they deserve. But we are a mere substitute until someone decides to adopt a dog in Liverpool and give them their undivided attention.

Second, our shelter is the forever home of some of the dogs that end up in our care. As you may imagine, dogs that are too old, too sick, too crippled, and traumatized are not the best candidates for adoption. Some do miraculously get adopted, but most don’t. Realistically speaking, we must always be prepared to permanently care for such animals in our shelter and allocate the necessary resources.

As you may imagine, an aging, hurt, sick, or traumatized dog will need a lot of attention, both from medical staff and collaborators and our in-house personnel. This can severely deplete our limited resources and reduce our capacity to take in new residents. However, when you adopt a dog in Liverpool and care for that dog in your home, a vacancy opens, and there are more resources to direct toward the animals that need them the most.

In other words, with your one decision to take home a dog from our shelter, you help us give better care to the dogs that are not adopted, and even save others from the street and give them the same chance. We hope you feel even more confident about your decision to adopt a dog in Liverpool and that we will hear from you soon.

Did you know you can adopt a dog in London and make a WORLD of a difference? We believe that international adoptions are a great way to offer a real chance to at least some of the hundreds of dogs in the care of the ROLDA rescue team.

In our 16 years of activity, the two private ROLDA-operated shelters have rescued and housed thousands of dogs. We learned a lot from our experience. For starters, not all dogs have the same chance of getting adopted. And sad as this might be, it is a reality we have grown accustomed to. We know the sick and the old will stay with us until their final days. And while this is not the comfort of a loving home and family, it is still ten times better than being on the streets.

Secondly, we must ensure that the more adoptable dogs find their way home for this to work. This means opening up our communications and spreading the message worldwide that loving friends are waiting to be picked up from Galati, Romania.

You get the chance to PICK your next best friend

How many times have you had this opportunity in life? Our ROLDA shelters host a diverse range of dogs, from small to large, with different personalities and demeanors. We are confident that if you plan to adopt a dog in London, we can find you the perfect match.

Yes, the dogs that end up in our care are usually animals that have suffered from neglect and abuse, have been hit by cars and people, have been attacked by bigger, stronger dogs, and have been subjected to extreme cold or starvation. But once they entered our care, their real lives began. We also have puppies left near the shelter or abandoned right after birth. The ROLDA Rescue team is the beacon of light for all of them.

Depending on what you know you can offer in terms of a comfortable home and care, you can pick your pup. Some people sign up to take care of some of our older residents because they are looking for a mellow companion. We have even had kind-hearted people who chose to take on dogs with considerable medical expenses. We appreciate the effort and desire to do so much good. But we also know that this is not within the means of everyone.

If you are looking for a younger dog that can keep up or even help you build a more active lifestyle, you can find your next jogging buddy in our shelter. Are you looking for a sweet and loving family dog? It will probably be hard for you to pick just one of our dogs.

Adopt one, save three!

So, you plan to adopt a dog in London. Did you know you will save three animals with one gesture of goodwill? How is that? Easy!

You give one the chance to live a real life. You take him out of our shelter and take care of him for the rest of his life. In the meantime, you allow us to use our resources on some other dogs that are unlikely to get adopted, which will be in our care for the rest of their lives. Also, taking one dog out of the shelter makes room for us to save another soul in need. Who knows? Maybe his place will be taken by another pup that only needs a good bath, food, and a lot of pictures on the Internet to find his new family.

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.

Then, when we heard about the war, we stepped in to help the animals in Ukraine too; it was our first major emergency project and we quickly managed to cover many areas and reach many rescues, building skills that would help us when dealing with stressful and challenging situations.

Using the experience we have gained, we are confident that ROLDA is ready to start a new chapter; one involving a different emergency project, a daily emergency, one that happens in most large cities, right in front of our very eyes.

We are proud to announce Help a #lifechanger; a project created to support the pets of homeless people.

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

Emergency
Blanket

Nail
Clippers

Tick
Remover

Bags
Dispenser

Collapsible
Bowl

Fleece Blanket
100 x 70 cm

Sponsor a pack

You can sponsor a pack for a #lifechanger for £40.

Sponsor

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?

Since 2010, the UK homeless population has been increasing. In 2018 it was estimated that there were 320,000 homeless people, including 130,000 children, representing 0.5% (1 in 200) of the population.

Of these, over 4,600 people sleep rough every night. The latter number is likely underestimated, as many rough sleepers avoid being counted.

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.

Pet ownership among homeless people is common, and although the number of homeless pets in the UK is unknown, studies elsewhere have reported between 5% and 24% of homeless people own a pet, with the majority being dogs.

These dogs are the main, and often only, source of physical, psychological, and social support to their owners.

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.

Recycle here

Why recycle your ink cartridges?

To protect our environment. Did you know that…

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:

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).

Get a quote

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. Fleas were feeding on her skin, which was bloody and cracked due to 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.

Chick found on street

Chick at ROLDA shelter

Chick after

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?

See all

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.

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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!

Hera before

Hera after