Five of our dogs have just arrived in Italy and are seeking families for adoption

Harrison

2,000 kilometers: that is the distance separating Footprints of Joy, our shelter in Cernavoda in Romania, from the Fondazione Squadra 4 Zampe association, our partner in the province of Milan. This month, those 2,000 kilometers have meant salvation for five dogs: Chuck, Harrison, Dora, Cesare and Debra, who have arrived in Italy and are waiting to be adopted.

The dogs that have newly arrived in Italy

When they first stepped out of the van that had transported them from our shelter to Squadra 4 Zampe, the new arrivals looked all around them, clearly somewhat disoriented. Until that moment, they had only ever known life at our center, so this was the first major test they had come face to face with.

But we have faith in them and know they will prosper here.

The Squadra 4 Zampe team quickly settled them into their new environment, allowing them to rest after the long trip.

Chuck

This non-profit organization was established in 2011 and is based in Vairano, located midway between Milan and Pavia. Today, it collaborates with various private and public entities to support animals in need by implementing educational and informational programs, guiding dogs through individual training pathways, and promoting responsible adoptions.

Over the following days after their arrival, they showed the dogs around the shelter and began the process that will lead them toward adoption.

The decline in International adoptions

All dogs proposed in our international adoption programs undergo a specific process that goes beyond standard veterinary checks. Each dog is behaviorally assessed to understand their personality, any insecurities they may have, and the types of families that would be most suitable for them.

Dogs included in the Italian adoption program go through an additional selection process: they are chosen exclusively from our medium- and small-sized residents and are all very sociable.

This is a deliberate choice; on one hand, we do not want to add to the already strained situation in Italy due to the overpopulation of dogs and cats. On the other hand, we need to ease the pressure on our shelter in order to make room for new animals who urgently need our help.

2024 has been marked by a significant crisis in international adoptions, and the collapse of these adoptions in countries like Germany and Sweden, our long-standing partners, has forced us to reopen the Italian program.

Thanks to our partnership with Fondazione Squadra 4 Zampe, we have already found homes for 13 dogs, and we hope that Chuck, Harrison, Dora, Cesare, and Debra will be successful very soon.

We will keep you updated on all our social media channels.