We live in complicated times. Social media feeds and news channels seem to constantly announce the imminence of a new crisis or bring forward problems we still struggle to solve.
In the shadow of wars, fears related to artificial intelligence and job loss, economic recession, and the ever-increasing cost of daily life, who still has time to think about abandoned animals? About those souls that feel the same consequences of a world shaped by humans?
The answer is the same.
For 20 years, ROLDA has been the organization that thinks about these animals and helps them with consistency and resilience, regardless of the context. We have dedicated our lives and energy to this cause, and we will carry it through to the end.
More than a local rescuer
Such an extensive activity means more than impressive numbers. Because it has been developed gradually, with each solution created to meet real and recurring needs, ROLDA has gathered over its 20 years of activity one of the most valuable resources for an NGO: experience.
Experience in: attracting funding for complex medical interventions, organizing prevention campaigns such as sterilization and education, facilitating international adoptions, and expanding operations where the need is greatest.
What began with the rescue of a single dog has, over time, grown into an effort that reached tens, then hundreds, then thousands, and ultimately over 100,000 animals helped.
And the growth has not been visible only in numbers, but also in the ability to respond to crises—even beyond Romania’s borders.
Supporting rescuers in Ukraine
The outbreak of war beyond Romania’s northern border was a shock to everyone. Thousands of people fled the Russian attacks, taking only the essentials with them. Some managed to save their pets. Others were forced to leave them behind.
Despite good intentions and the efforts made overnight, there were situations in which people were not allowed to enter shelters with their pets. Thus, the trauma of displacement was compounded by the pain of separation.
How did ROLDA intervene?
- By organizing a mobile team that met refugees at the Giurgiulești border crossing, welcoming those who arrived in Romania with their pets. The animals received food, water, and medical check-ups.
- By taking in animals whose owners were accommodated in centers where pets were not allowed. Once the owners’ situation stabilized, the animals were reunited with them.
- By receiving animals transferred from shelters in evacuated areas of Ukraine. Shelters in heavily bombed regions could no longer function, and the animals risked ending up on the streets in conditions far worse than before. Beyond being stray, they would now have to survive in a war zone.
- By supporting rescuers who remained in place. Some were caring for smaller numbers of dogs or were located at a reasonable distance from conflict zones, allowing them to continue their work. Even so, logistical challenges were significant. ROLDA stepped in to help them continue by compensating for shortages caused by delayed deliveries of food and medical supplies.
- By conducting field visits to deliver essential materials and provide know-how. The targeted areas included Korosten, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia, including active war zones.
- By organizing fundraising campaigns for rescuers in Ukraine. Field visits helped the ROLDA team understand the exact needs of local organizations—from rebuilding to relocation and sterilization campaigns. This allowed fundraising efforts to be more focused and better aligned with real needs.
- By coordinating local networks of rescuers over a longer period. Thirty rescuers in Ukraine benefit from long-term financial support from ROLDA, with their activity regularly evaluated to maintain this assistance.
Support for rescuers in Romania
There are also rescuers in Romania who receive ROLDA’s support to sustain their work. These individuals and organizations rescue and shelter animals, organize sterilization campaigns, feed animals, or provide medical care. Most of them are small groups that do not have the expertise or capacity of an organization like ROLDA when it comes to fundraising and scaling their efforts.
Most of them simply want to continue helping in the way they know best. And although our paths have been different, we understand their desire to work in the area where they feel most comfortable. After all, the best work is the one done with passion and dedication.
That is why ROLDA steps in, allowing these small organizations to continue following their passion and helping the animals they care about.
Among the supported organizations are The Great Catsby in Tulcea, the Târgu Frumos Dog Shelter Association, Nas Rece, Inima Caldă in Câmpulung Moldovenesc, as well as initiatives in Caracal, Desa, Focșani, Râmnicu Sărat, and Slobozia.
In this way, ROLDA becomes a true national support hub, multiplying the impact of animal rescue efforts.
Direct support for people
Beyond creating a network of organizations working toward a common goal, ROLDA does not forget individuals.
Every person who offers our dogs a safe and loving home represents our ultimate goal of adoption efforts. Therefore, interventions at an individual level are just as valuable when they help keep dogs in the homes where they are already cared for.
Owners who face difficulties in caring for their animals can turn to ROLDA for solutions. Whether they need help with food, veterinary check-ups, or even medical procedures, they can receive the support needed to ensure that the animal remains in the place it already knows as home.
There is no benefit in taking the dog away just to try to convince someone else to adopt it. It already has a person. It simply needs help to stay there.
Educational programs
Things are different compared to 20 years ago, when ROLDA began its work. However, people’s mindset takes time to evolve.
Whether we are talking about reducing abandonment, ending the practice of keeping dogs chained, or addressing abuse and killing of animals, these changes have happened gradually because more and more people have come to understand and agree that things must change.
Educational programs ensure that the animals we save will, at the very least, from now on, have better lives—with people who understand their needs more clearly and know how to care for them properly.
