Delivered the bare necessities

The freezing rains have begun in Cernavoda, and as the winter season progresses many cats and dogs living out in the open countryside have absolutely no shelter from the elements and the biting cold weather.

Thanks to the invaluable support from our donors we can make this time of year less harsh for the exposed animals by providing them with the food and shelter they need to survive the winter.

Over the last few weeks the Save the Dogs team in Romania has delivered emergency supplies to the villages of Seimeni Mici and Cochirleni, destined for animals belonging to the poorest families. A total of 19 kennels, 172 kilos of dry and wet food and 15 food bowls have already been distributed to 10 needy households.

Where the conditions have been particularly critical, our team has returned a number of times to provide additional quantities of food. This has been the case for Nicolina, an elderly lady who lives with her two dogs. Nicolina asked for our assistance in helping her tackle the winter months, and we have been able to deliver kennels, straw and high protein food to supplement Axel and Toby’s poor diet. We will be visiting Nicolina again over the coming weeks to offer extra aid for her aging dogs.

We have also identified some particularly challenging situations where dogs are kept tethered outside on chains, a reality that is unfortunately still widespread in the poorer parts of the countryside.

Although we would prefer to release these animals from a life of maltreatment, we rarely succeed in convincing their owners to put the chain on a sliding cable or to let the dog run free for at least a few hours a day. In the majority of cases, we have provided the owners with a longer chain and a more suitable collar. In total, we have so far distributed 7 chains that are long enough to allow the dogs more freedom of movement and 5 leashes.

Our emergency initiative has only just begun and our colleagues are doing everything they can to ensure that as many animals as possible receive their assistance and help. For this reason, we will continue to distribute kennels and food throughout the months of January and February.

It is only thanks to the support of the friends of Save the Dogs that we will be able to reach a larger number of cats and dogs and offer them more dignified living conditions.