“Stray dogs keep coming from cities nearby, there is a safety issue for the inhabitants. The population asks us to clean up the streets and we respect the will of the citizens”.
With this sentence the Mayor of Cernavoda Liviu Negoita explained to Save the Dogs’ president why, starting from July 10^th, Green Life Recycling vans (company from Ovidiu which has a contract for the same service in other cities in the province of Costanza) are removing dozens of dogs after they signed a contract for the elimination of 300 strays.

It is not just the sudden decision of the City Hall to leave the association speechless, but the ways in which this contract was made.
As a matter of fact, for months the authorities talked about finance more prevention activities for Save the Dogs and to punish severely whoever abandons unwanted animals.
The news of the arrival in the city of dog catchers and of the 20.000 euro contract with Green Life was like a lightning out of a clear sky for Save the Dogs.

“We still will work with you in order to fine the owners that do not spay and register their dog – ensured the Mayor Liviu Negoita during the meeting with Sara Turetta, who asked him explanations – but we do not follow the will of Save the Dogs or any other association that protects animals: we only respond to the people”.

With deep regret we take note of the new policy of the city administration, which unfortunately is supported by all the council and does not leave to Save the Dogs any room for manoeuvre, but we strongly asked the Mayor and the deputy Mayor Serif Cirjali to assist – in compliance with implementing decrees of Law 258/13 – to the operation of capture and to have access to the contract with Green Life Recycling and to all the figures about the dogs captured and killed. Additionally, we reported some anomalies about the vans (which do not report the information about the company) and the number of cages for the transport, in which the dogs are squeezed 2-3 at a time.

Save the Dogs will intensify as far as possible the activities of spay and identification in the city, using also the mobile clinic, and will control closely the work of Green Life Recycling to prevent the abuses and obtain at least the respect of the law, but in this dramatic moment only increased resources and adoptions abroad will allow us to take away more animals from the dog catchers.

Save the Dogs and other Animals Board

Update July the 17th, 2017

In the last days Romanian animal lovers gathered in front of the Green Life Recycling gates, entered the pound and called the authorities asking to check on the company’s work and to verify the condition of the dogs. Romanian televisions have featured appalling images shot both during the volunteer’s visits and with a hidden camera. It seems that several complaints have been filed concerning many aspects of Green Life Recycling activity, not just the obvious violations of the Romanian Animal Rights Act.

Save the Dogs and other Animals follows daily the developments of the situation and has offered its support to the legal actions taken against the company. Hopefully, the catches will be halted following the investigations which should have been started by several Romanian authorities.

Update July the 20th, 2017

At the moment the culls ended in Cernavoda thanks to the stop from the local DSV of Costanza, which found serious irregularities in the Green Life Recycling structure. In this days there was a lot of protests against the company that manage most of the culling contracts in this area of Romania, we managed to keep up the pressure of the public and to report the abuses at an international level. At the same time we are trying to keep safe in the shelter as many strays as possible, but unfortunately we have to do the math with everyday abandons.

Update July the 21th, 2017

The Director of DSV (Veterinary Health Department) of Costanza announced that all the contracts between the cities in the region and the “catch and kill” companies will be suspended. If they want to cull the dogs, they cannot have private contractors but need to organize their own dog population department. At the moment this decision puts a strain on the catching in Medgidia and Cernavoda.

The video refers Medgidia, where the same company which has the contract in Cernavoda is cleaning up the streets.

“Stray dogs keep coming from cities nearby, there is a safety issue for the inhabitants. The population asks us to clean up the streets and we respect the will of the citizens”.
With this sentence the Mayor of Cernavoda Liviu Negoita explained to Save the Dogs’ president why, starting from July 10^th, Green Life Recycling vans (company from Ovidiu which has a contract for the same service in other cities in the province of Costanza) are removing dozens of dogs after they signed a contract for the elimination of 300 strays.

It is not just the sudden decision of the City Hall to leave the association speechless, but the ways in which this contract was made.
As a matter of fact, for months the authorities talked about finance more prevention activities for Save the Dogs and to punish severely whoever abandons unwanted animals.
The news of the arrival in the city of dog catchers and of the 20.000 euro contract with Green Life was like a lightning out of a clear sky for Save the Dogs.

“We still will work with you in order to fine the owners that do not spay and register their dog – ensured the Mayor Liviu Negoita during the meeting with Sara Turetta, who asked him explanations – but we do not follow the will of Save the Dogs or any other association that protects animals: we only respond to the people”.

With deep regret we take note of the new policy of the city administration, which unfortunately is supported by all the council and does not leave to Save the Dogs any room for manoeuvre, but we strongly asked the Mayor and the deputy Mayor Serif Cirjali to assist – in compliance with implementing decrees of Law 258/13 – to the operation of capture and to have access to the contract with Green Life Recycling and to all the figures about the dogs captured and killed. Additionally, we reported some anomalies about the vans (which do not report the information about the company) and the number of cages for the transport, in which the dogs are squeezed 2-3 at a time.

Save the Dogs will intensify as far as possible the activities of spay and identification in the city, using also the mobile clinic, and will control closely the work of Green Life Recycling to prevent the abuses and obtain at least the respect of the law, but in this dramatic moment only increased resources and adoptions abroad will allow us to take away more animals from the dog catchers.

Save the Dogs and other Animals Board