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.

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.

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.

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.

Save Romanian animals from a cruel life and you’ll have an extra reason to be proud on your Birthday!

Want to make your birthday super special this year? Celebrate it by making a difference for animals!

It’s really easy – and the best part is that everything you need is available through your Facebook account.
1. Get ready: create your Facebook fundraising page here: https://www.facebook.com/fund/ROLDADOGS/. Make sure it’s ready to go on your special day.
2. Get set: setting a goal is a proven way to motivate people to pitch in. Add a zero to whatever age you’ll be this year. For example, turning 30? Go for 300$/EUR/GBP. Remember that no matter how much you bring in, every cent you raise will make a difference for animals.
3. Get creative: personalize your fundraising page. Choose a great photo, and write a short, personal message about why you’re using your birthday to help animals.
4. Share, share, share: share your page with your Facebook friends before and on your birthday so that they know what the perfect gift for you will be this year.
5. Celebrate: don’t forget to enjoy your big day – and remember to thank everyone for the birthday wishes and for helping you make a difference for animals.

Thank you on behalf of #roldadogs and the ROLDA Rescue Team!

Big Surprises for the Residents of Galati Retirement Center on Romanian National Day

To celebrate National Day, ROLDA host a special dinner for the residents of the Galati Retirement Center. To give our gathering an extra dash of holiday spirit, we decorated the center with lovely Christmas ornaments, and we spoiled the residents and the staff with thoughtful hand-made gifts created with love by Romanian artisans.

But our biggest surprise for the 150 residents of the Galati Retirement Center was Tarot, the tiny dog we saved from a boiling tar pit. We are thrilled to announce that Tarot has been adopted and scheduled to meet his new family in Sweden on December  17—just in time to enjoy his first Christmas with them!

So, Tarot was on a mission before leaving Romania. He was determined to spread holiday cheer to all those in need, and he has not forgotten our fellow senior citizens. We believe that the Tarot’s story can inspire anyone to appreciate and give thanks for the little things in life. It can also help us be more grateful that there exists people and organizations in the world who are devoted to helping others—people and animals alike. Tarot is alive today because our generous supporters chose to help him. The elderly in retirement homes are cared for by dedicated staff and volunteers.

“I have wanted to help more people in my community for many years now, and I feel like our charity now has a little breathing room to offer such support once in a while,” said Dana Costin, founder of ROLDA. “Each time my team and I organize an event for people in our community we want them to know that they can count on us to be there. We all live in this county, and we all want to feel safe and happy.”

Watch a short video from this event

In the end, it is compassionate people like you who make our work possible. ROLDA knows that without your generosity and humanity, our programs would have remained just beautiful dreams. But together with you, we can dream further, higher, and bigger. We can #givehope where no one else will.
Thank you from ROLDA Team

Collectible art donations also entitle you to a Fair Market Tax Deduction! There are far more benefits that may be yours once you decide to make a collectible art donation. These advantages include earning a tax deduction equal to the fair market value of your donated items and freeing up wall space to display yet more artwork.

Art is powerful not just because of its “artistic” meaning and value, but because it can be used to support worthy causes like ours. Transform your collectible art piece/s into real help for animals in need! If your artwork collection consists of abstract art, African art, American art, pop-culture art, classic artwork, classic art print posters, patriotic art or original oil paintings, you can donate artwork and support our rescue mission in Romania – next “Ken” that waits with a metallic box stack in his mouth to be saved, or tortured mom with pups waiting to be saved from death, or support our next sterilization event, or Helping poor horses new project.

Collectible art donations can include any of the following: Original drawings by Banksy, Jackson Pollock, Picasso, Andrea Boscoli, Henri Matisse, Raymond Pettibon, Jonathan Green, Walasse Ting, Al Hirschfeld or Max Liebermann.

An original vintage King Kong film poster from 1933, 1967 Monterrey International pop festival poster, Silkscreen posters by Roy Lichtenstein or 1920s vintage French Art Deco travel posters. Folk art and primitives; Textile and fiber art from Chris Roberts, Pablo Picasso, Jean Picart, or Carl Hank can include wool Aubusson tapestries, a baleen basket, embroidered applique art, wall rug portraits, or silk paintings.

Need more ideas?

Donate any of the following: Digital Art, Drawings, Antique art, Modern art, Contemporary art, Folk Art, Mixed Media, Paintings, Photographic Images, Posters, Prints, Sculpture, Carvings, Reproduction, Medium, Acrylic, Gouache, Oil, Watercolor, Abstract, Animals, Animation, Cartoon, Botanical, Children, Infants, Fantasy, Figures, Portraits, Floral, Gardens, Food, Wine, Landscape, Cityscape, Music, Instruments, Nudes, Religious, Inspirational, Seascape, Still Life, Art Deco, Asian, Cubist, Impressionist, Miniature, Outsider Art, Pop Art, Realism, Surrealism, Bronze, Ceramic, Porcelain, Glass, Jade, Metal, Paper, Stone, Marble, Wood, Figures, Nudes, Masks or Religious Statues…Give life to your collectible item/s today! Art is transforming the World thanks to the clever people who appreciate it!

Discover an easy and effective way to help ROLDA save more dogs from your work.

If you’re a current ROLDA supporter or someone who wants to help save stray dogs in Romania, and who believes our charity would make a bigger impact with more contributors, then you can make that change!

How?
Talk to your employer about contributing to our cause through workplace giving.

What is Workplace Giving?
Workplace giving campaigns are annual, employer-sponsored programs that offer employees the opportunity to make a charitable contribution through payroll deduction.

How impactful is Workplace Giving?
Very! Charities are extremely efficient with the contributions they receive. That’s why we always tell you that “no donation is too small.” We are grateful for every donation, and we put every dollar we receive to good use.

ROLDA is no different! We cherish every contribution, and we always ensure that our dogs reap the benefits. Your individual donations make a big difference in a stray dog’s life. But because you and I want to save more stray dogs from suffering, we need to ACT BIG!

Workplace Giving raises collective contributions by raising awareness. Perhaps your employer or colleagues are not aware of the stray dog crisis in Romania but bringing it to their attention may motivate them to contribute to our solution.

Will my employer or colleagues agree?
The only way to know is by asking. It doesn’t hurt to ask or to have a conversation about workplace giving. Just remember that it’s important to respect the decision and circumstances of others and not be pushy.

Even if they do not agree or are unable to contribute now, you should feel proud that you made the effort. And both you and I will always be grateful you did!

Thank you, kindly.

Matching Gift Program: click here
You can also find us on Benevity portal: click here

Put your unwanted car to good use! Donate your car to help rescue homeless dogs.

If you’re reading this, then chances are that you have a car you no longer need or want. Perhaps donating your car wasn’t your first option… and that’s totally okay! Maybe you didn’t even know it was a “thing” you could do. You’d be surprised how many people don’t.

But we’re confident that if more people knew that they could donate their car, they totally would! The process of donating your car is easy! (please go to this link to get started) click here.

Parting ways with your car is difficult. (Well, maybe not all the time. We’re sure there are some people who are just eager to get rid of their jalopy!) But we’re here to reassure you that the act of donating your car to a good cause is always rewarding!

How will ROLDA use the car you donate?

Our ROLDA shelter in Galati, Romania is a 3-hour-drive from Bucharest, where we need to travel often for logistical purposes such as:
● Supply Runs (dog food, medication, veterinary equipment, etc.)
● Veterinary and Animal Hospital appointments (for dogs in need of complicated and/or emergency operations/treatments)
● Adoption Travel (drive dogs that have been adopted to the airport or bus terminal to travel to their adoptive families)

For local purposes, the car will be used for:
● Rescues (drive to rescue stray dogs)
● Campaigns (ROLDA provides sterilization and vaccination campaigns for stray dogs)
● Food Delivery (ROLDA feeds stray dogs in the community)

These are some of the more important things our charity will be able to do more efficiently and more frequently with another car. (Right now, we only have one van which we rely on the fulfill all these tasks and more.) We are extremely grateful for this van. It has saved many lives over the years, but, the truth is, we could benefit from another vehicle. Especially since our goal is to save more lives!

Want to donate your car to ROLDA? Please visit our partner’s page: click here

Every time we rescue a new dog, we try to figure out where he/she comes from so we can try to understand him/her better. When Delu brought Ellie to the shelter, these are the facts as we knew them: A local animal lover called Delu went to pick up Ellie. Ellie and a mixed chow named Bunga were sharing a transport crate when they arrived. The person who called Delu said she found both Ellie and Bunga wandering the streets. She mentioned briefly that Ellie was limping.

It’s clear to us that Ellie belonged to someone. She was abandoned but we don’t know why. Some time ago, Ellie must have been hit by or with something, because she had an old, untreated femur fracture for which she got no treatment. It is heartbreaking, but this is the reality: many homeless animals live in pain, with a fracture or break, and the bone sets naturally – sometimes, in the wrong position, which generates the limping. Plus, probably, pain and more damage/health problems accumulated as time passed.

Ellie is a small, adorable girl who has learned, unfortunately, what it means to be a homeless dog.

After seeing how she limps, we decided it was something serious and rushed Ellie to the vet. There, after a medical exam and XRAY, the vet decided it was the old femur fracture that needs surgery to be corrected and set into the right position.

Being an old problem, there were no guarantees that her leg will recover. But after surgery and a very long recovery period, Ellie‘s pain will stop. In the worst-case scenario, she will lose the leg – but we are hopeful that the vet will do his utmost to save her leg, stop her pain and help her walk normally.

It is sad to think that in a moment, the life of a dog can change so dramatically: from the time when she had a home, until the moment she ended up on the streets, being hit, injured – staying in pain and ending up limping, since who knows when! Thanks to ROLDA friends and supporters, Ellie‘s nightmare will slowly be over.

Making a small gift – Help Ellie’s leg to heal by contributing to medical costs.

More supporters mean more help and during critical times, when your finances are limited, our needs (emergency veterinary costs, food costs, etc) are easier to cover when there are more contributors.

Nothing comes easy in life. Not for Ellie and not for us. Our mission is to work hard, to face difficulties but to make miracles happen for these dogs. And you, dear ROLDA supporter, are part of every step we take to transform each dog’s future.

There is a saying, when someone needs a friend, God sends them a dog. Regardless of your religious beliefs, we can all agree dogs are man’s best friend. ROLDA dogs need a friend, a friend like you, and no dog needs a friend more than Piciu.

After everything I have seen since ROLDA began, I sometimes fall into the trap of thinking I have seen everything, then a story like Piciu’s comes along and reminds me just how wrong I am. You receive weekly – if not daily – heart-breaking stories about our dogs and I wish more than anything Piciu had no such story to tell; I do not know where to begin.

Piciu was the adored pet of a man living with his wife in the village of Smardan. One tragic evening, Piciu became trapped in sharp, metal fencing whilst exploring. In the desperate attempt to free himself, Piciu suffered deep wounds to all four legs and lost a dangerous amount of blood and no, there are no blood banks for dogs here. Piciu was not discovered until the morning, barely clinging to life.

Many would have discarded him like trash, though Piciu had loving owners who wasted no time in rushing him to a vet. It is a uniquely heart-breaking sight – a grown man, weeping and sobbing like a child, inconsolable with grief – cradling his beloved, dying pet in his arms, begging for help whatever the cost.

Piciu is a beautiful, affectionate dog. He needs every prayer to see him through his intensive care and rehabilitation. All four of his legs were grievously wounded, three of which were maimed including one of his front legs that were so irreparably damaged, it required amputating. Furthermore, Piciu is not vaccinated and it would be too risky to vaccinate him in his current state of extremely poor health and weakened immune system.

We have to take extra special care of Piciu, who is exceptionally vulnerable to diseases like distemper, though with our love and expert care, Piciuwill recover and his remaining legs will gradually improve. The most important thing now is to do everything possible to help Piciu fight back to health and reunite him with his family.

Can we, with your help, get Piciu back on his feet?