MITTAL GALATI

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A MODEL TO HUMANELY SOLVE THE HOMELESS OVERPOPULATION PROBLEM

For the 4th consecutive year Mittal sustains the trap/neuter/release or rehome program in partnership with ROLDA and especially in the last year and now,when it's an acute economic crise,their huge efforts should be noticed and respected by all the local community.

Arcelor Mittal is the world's largest iron and steel company. Arcelor Mittal owns two iron and steel companies in Romania, at Galati and Hunedoara, and two pipe producers in Iasi and Roman counties.

Arcelor Mittal Galati is by far Romania's biggest exporter.

Even when the plant cut production to half or even a third of what it used to be, as a result of the 2008-2009 international financial crisis, their support of charitable and community projects did not stop.

Arcelor Mittal supports projects helping the environment, education, public health, and sports. In 2007 they became involved in animal protection.

ROLDA & ARCELOR MITTAL GALATI

The Mittal directors could not ignore as many as 4,500 to 5,000 stray dogs roaming the plant area as of 2006, presenting a threat to employees and business partners' health and wellbeing.

Mittal sought a way to ensure a safe working environment, while accommodating the concerns of animal-friendly employees, who feed homeless dogs the remains of their lunches.

Previous management had tried to kill or relocate the dogs, but this proved to be a waste of time, especially since the steel plant is close to the residential part of Galati, where the stray dog situation is out of control. Any habitat without dogs soon became a home for new dogs, either migrating from more crowded places or being dumped there by people trying to get rid of them.

ROLDA proposed a sustained animal birth control program, in combination with building a shelter to house the dogs who are too ill or too aggressive to allow to continue to wander at large. This solution was gratefully accepted by the Mittal directors. They understood immediately that without funds for a spay/neuter and care program, local animal rescue groups could not effectively fulfill their mission.

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(photo: Mittal CEO visiting the shelter building premises.March 2008)

Building the dogs shelter started in summer of 2007 and promoted locally and internationally, in our attempt to raise awareness and support, other companies to follow Mittal example.

The dogs facility was initially planned to serve the thousands strays needs from Mittal plant and in future, to help solve the local problem which is out of the authorities interest and control.

Living into a society in which animals are constantly abused,into a society where nobody wants to invest at least public funds to solve public problems, the total support offered by Mittal is even more precious, not only helping our activity in the following months but also helping us build a dogs shelter that will last for the next generations, a start to solve humanely the strays overpopulation dramatic situation.