Volunteers

" Animal welfare is a huge problem worldwide, but nowhere more so than in Romania. Dana is a young woman who has dedicated her life to these animals. She is a lone voice in the wilderness. Please help ! "

writen by Sharon H.(UK) 2004

" In the summer of 2004, my boyfriend and I went on a great adventure that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. We decided to visit the ROLDA dog shelter in the very eastern part of Romania .

Having been an animal rescue volunteer for years, I have always been curious what people in other parts of the world do for animals. One day, I stumbled across ROLDA's website and was intrigued by the shelter's story and efforts. Because this world is so big with problems, especially involving animal plights, are often bigger than us, I live by the saying, 'Think global. Act local.'

Read more: Stephanie Haugen(USA)Testimonial

"The situation I witnessed in Romania was heartbreaking--I saw countless dogs who had been run over and left lying in the roads, and there were many others who just wandered through the city, looking thin and malnourished. They had no place warm to sleep and ate garbage to survive. Some of them had been injured and were hobbling around as best they could, trying to avoid the cars.

Read more: Katherine (USA) Testimonial

" I could not bring myself to walk through the kennels and look at those beautiful faces again. My lovely Cora with her paralyzed legs, Merlin who had been paralyzed like Cora but miraculously gained the use of his legs, my darling blind Hope, Betty and her puppies, Mica, Bobitza, Cipi, Shep, all of them. The tears started to flow at the thought of their future but worse the future of all the others not fortunate to be in a lovely place like ROLDA."

writen by Maureen S(UK) 2004

" My travel to Romania was good not only for the dogs waiting for our support, but also for myself. The picture I had carried of Romania as a grey spot on the European map, with sad people, was turned over a bit !

Romanians have a "modern" look for living in such a broken-down country, they are generally outgoing and make you feel welcome as a foreigner. In society as a whole, though, there is a feeling of tiredness and grief - just as if the Romanians were victims of crime, having begun to reassemble the pieces of what wasn't stolen from them. And - hand on heart - isn't this exactly what they are; victims of a robbery begun by the communist regime?

Read more: Lisellotte (Sweden) Testimonial

On Saturday 8th September 2007 Willie Nugent from Armagh (North Ireland) visited the ROLDA animal shelter in Romania on his "Shaking Paws Around the World" Journey.

Willie said he really enjoyed his stay: "The shelter was very clean and of the highest standards......Everyone was most welcoming and devoted to the dogs.I really admire the work Dana Costin is doing.I was especially impressed by the lengths she takes to ensure the health and wellbeing of the dogs.I wish there were more people like her in the world today."

writen by Willie, September 2007