We are ROLDA and we exist to #givehope to neglected, abused animals and people who care about them. ROLDA UK rehome dogs from the Romanian branch into UK forever homes. Funds raised in the UK are provided to ROLDA Romania to be expended towards its animal rescue projects or granted to organisations operating in Ukraine.
#animalsaddict
We fight against animal abandonment by taking them in or helping their owners.
Fighting animal cruelty, neglect and abuse is a constant uphill battle for us.
We pay for sterilization campaigns, the humane way to stop stray overpopulation.
Help us get illegal shelters and their traumatizing practices become history.
Wildlife trafficking is life-threatening for the animals. ROLDA is fighting against it.
We want to stop wildlife tourism exploitation. Join us.
Learn a bit of our history, how ROLDA started, why we operate in Galati, what we have been able to change for animals in a country where public shelters continue to put Romania to shame under EU's indifferent eyes.
Find out some of the most important moments of ROLDA activity.
To make HOME a little better for every living soul. To give SHELTER.
Because the bigger the challenge, the bigger the people rising up to face it.
that makes the rescue work of ROLDA UK possible in areas where animals have no one else.
Rescued in Romania, loved all over the World
Preventive care (treatments, screening) is the smart way to continue to make sure the animals don’t contract diseases and parasites.
Taking care of animals means keeping preventable illnesses at bay.
Transmissible from dog to dog, a terrible condition easier to prevent than cure.
More than being a nuisance, these parasites may carry crippling or fatal diseases.
For some a temporary home, for others a permanent one. Either way, it’s vital to all.
Neglect, abuse and abandonment, backed by lack of knowledge are the causes of suffering we need to address. How? By educating people.
0 unwanted pups born = 0 unwanted pups abandoned
Not all owners are heartless. Some are just very poor. So, we help
Before-after images show our animals’ difficult journeys. They show the resilience of dogs and our hard work.
Although abusive and punishable by law, keeping dogs in chains is still a practice in many rural areas in Romania. It is a challenge to really change things.
Dog pounds are the places hope and humanity go to die. Help shut them down!
Help us call on authorities to punish the Tulcea animal abuser caught on tape.
Join our plea to ban fireworks in Romania and stop animals getting injured.
Wildlife animals’ lives are worth more than the price of tickets. Help us save them!
We are always looking for new foster carers throughout the UK as it provides a stable halfway house between the Romanian shelters and their forever home.
Spread the word about our activity, about what we have already done, about what we plan to do. Wear our logo and start a conversation.
Bring a new furry member into your family!
We run two dog shelters, a cat sanctuary and help over 1000 animals each year. But if it wasn’t for the generosity of our supporters like you, we wouldn’t exist. Can you continue help fund our vital work?
Every gift in will has the power to transform the animals World the way YOU dream it to be.
Help us build a piece of art animal sanctuary in South-East Europe for people to also benefit.
When you donate Bitcoin and other crypto to ROLDA, you generally owe no capital gains tax.
You can turn your used vehicle into a meaningful contribution to help animals and ROLDA UK
Buy a virtual gift that helps a real animal in need!
Buy lovely items hand made in Romania and help animals in need becuse all profits will go toward them.
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.
My father was born in Transylvania (the “Dracula”county) and my mother in Galati, the town where I was also born. They worked hard throughout their lives to provide me with the best possible care and education, and to encourage my passions and hobbies. Although they taught me to respect animals, they never allowed me to have a dog inside the tiny apartment where we lived together with my grandmother. However, every time I visited my grandparents, I enjoyed the company of their cats, a tiny Pekinese dog called Norica and even some chickens.
My grandparents died immediately after the fall of Communism and it was at this time that the street dog population dramatically increased all over Romania. This was possibly because during Communism, the dog population was kept under control using barbaric, inhumane methods. It is said that under Communism, an industry was built around dogs – capturing strays, keeping them in filthy pounds (unfortunately many of the pounds are still filthy to this day), electrocuting them, skinning the dogs for purses, shoes etc and then selling their meat across Asia.
During my 20’s, the stray population boomed all over Romania, including in my home town Galati. This led to an alarming increase in dog fights: these were organised widely, and were mostly treated with indifference by the police. Dog fights are now completely illegal, but have not disappeared completely.
My first rescue dog was a German Shepherd, whom I found abandoned in a local park. He had been very badly wounded, probably in a dog fight, but the vet was able to put him on the road to health. I named him Printz. He was very aggressive with other dogs and people – again, likely because he had been trained to fight, but gradually with time and love, he accepted me and my family. Printz was the first dog whom my parents allowed to stay in our tiny apartment – a high honour indeed!
(Note: Myself and my Mum continue to share the same tiny apartment, as I write these words. One of the two rooms is has been transformed into an office where I do my administration work).
Because of Printz’s aggressive behaviour, I couldn’t house any other rescue dogs until 2002, when he unexpectedly died. I was heartbroken, but knew there was work that needed to be done. At that time, I had no shelter and no space that I could offer the countless dogs I came across. I asked my friends and family if I could use their gardens to help. They were very supportive, and although this was a great short term solution for a few dogs, I knew this was not enough. My parents financially sustained my passion and even after ROLDA became known internationally, they continued to support every way they could. Today, the loans made by my Mother to ROLDA total approx 300,000 RON (around £60k).
Unfortunately it was around this time that I discovered the dark side of charity work. Other animal welfare organisations in Romania often make it harder for others to succeed. This is a mystery to me, because I feel we should all stick together and value one anothers’ attempts to make life better for our animal friends. It was during this time that I discovered something new about myself: I am very motivated and determined. Over the next few years, the endurance to fight injustice became one of my most powerful attributes. I was always a bit of a rebel at high school but as time passed, I created (and followed) my own set of rules and values. From the very beginning, my strategy was quality over quantity. This is why the first kennels we built were fully insulated, following a respected British model, even though we received numerous protests from some locals (including some charities) who disagreed with our vision to make our ROLDA dogs comfortable. I pushed on and moved ahead on the path I considered right. ROLDA was the first Romanian charity ever to build a modern shelter for stray dogs. It has remained the best for almost 10 years, and others have followed in our footsteps.
In 2007, ROLDA formed a partnership with the largest steel producer in Europe. As a result, we built a modern shelter capable of housing hundreds of dogs and a veterinary clinic, which currently need equipment.
“I am very proud of our achievements so far, but am aware that there is much still to do. One day, when I am old and grey, I want to be able to look back, with a dog by my side and know that I did everything I could to help.
My top qualities are certainly endurance and resilience. The main challenges I have faced have been either having to deal with indifference or battling to get the funds needed. It is said that the road to success is more beautiful than success itself and this is true: every small victory puts a big smile on my face”… I have really enjoyed building the ROLDA charity and I hope you can be a part of it too (click here to see how you can help).
To give a short answer to the question I started with: “If you could be anyone in the world, who would you be”? The answer is “myself”. Maybe with a few changes if I had my time again. Maybe a little more confidence in myself. But I would like to be myself living this, often difficult, life which is animal rescue. A life made possible by each of you who trust and support ROLDA’s work in Romania.
ROLDA started as a small group with a very modest website. We had no budget and some vet bill debts when this beautiful dream started. The key to success is the passion to do what you are meant to do. I was born to do this, it’s as simple as that.
Dana Costin
CEO & Founder
