Romanian Parliament grants license to kill stray dogs.

Urged in early September by President Basescu to legalise mass killing of stray dogs, the Romanian Parliament reacted immediately. On September 10th the plenary granted local authorities the license to start killing the dogs immediately. The President's demands arose after a recent and well-covered tragedy. This decision has no ethical, technical or financial ground. In the past, the government has culled 140,000 dogs using public funds and still the situation remains unsolved. The new law sends Romania back to the stone age.

In the meantime, animal haters have start the torture and killing of stray dogs. Authorities are tolerating these actions. FOUR PAWS' veterinarians are being forced to stop neutering and treating injured strays, but they are bravely continuing their work and trying to save as many dogs as possible. Over 100,000 friendly dogs have been neutered and released by FOUR PAWS' Stray Animal Care teams in the last decade. The authorities want to kill them too.

Stray dogs have been part of urban and rural Romania for decades. So far, there have been few incidents where humans and strays have come in conflict. Unfortunately, when these incidents occur, it is often due to lack of public awareness and proper management of the situation by the local authorities.

About one million dogs will be killed in the upcoming days and months, gratifying the country's leaders and baying public. However, this unethical and reactive decision is far removed from the real solution to manage the stray dog situation in a humane way.

-FOUR PAWS

 Give the Romanian stray dogs a chance to live

Possible mass murder of strays - once again

 Once again a tragedy of a human death brings a wave of hate towards the stray dogs in Romania. Below is an open letter written by Anu Raatikainen that is extremely well written and to-the-point. Please send your letters to at least the following email addresses:

procetatean@presidency.ro ; relatiicupublicul@aspa.ro ; relatiipublice@pmb.ro ; redactie@hotnews.ro ; martorocular@realitatea.net ; contact@evenimentul.ro ; reporter@corect.com ; redactia@romanialibera.ro ; dumitru.parvu@politiaromana.ro ; mimpiarr@gmail.com ; stirileprotv@protv.ro ; florentin.robescu@politiaromana.ro ; sesizare@mpublic.ro ; presedinte@mturism.ro ; info@mdrap.ro ; amr@amr.ro ; aor@aor.ro ; drp@gov.ro ; info@mdrap.ro ; petitii@mai.gov.ro ; relatiipublice@just.ro ; info@brasovultau.ro ; redactia@brasovultau.ro ,
romaniatravel@btconnect.com, info@RomaniaTourism.com, Rumaenien@aon.at ; office@romania.it; China@RomaniaTourism.co, ,info.rumunia@wp.pl, info@GuideRoumanie.com; info@romaniatravel.ru ; Muenchen@Rumaenien-Tourismus.de, ; oficina@RumaniaTour.com

On September 2, 2013, very tragically a 4-year old child was killed by a dog when he unattended entered a private property occupied by guard dogs. As a result of this tragic event most of the media is fanning hatred toward dogs and the president of Romania is the leader of the angry mob.

The president wishes to pass a law in super speed and in the heat of the furious moment that would allow to kill all the dogs without an owner. According to him this would solve all the problems in regard to stray animals and Romania would be happy and safe country ever after – or would it?

Looking at the recent history of Romania dogs have been mass murdered for the last 20 years. Despite the fact that local and international animal welfare organizations and thousands of private EU citizens have frequently petitioned the highest officials of Romania to adopt a neuter and release practice, which is recommended by the WHO and the only effective way to manage stray dog population.

The sad truth is that this tragic event didn’t even have to happen, if the Romanian government and local authorities had adopted the neuter & release program some years ago. The number of strays would be sufficiently lower already.

Similar accidents like this occur also in other countries from time to time, however people always understand that these are individual cases and there is no need for mass hysteria nor hatred speeches against dogs. Now the president of Romania bluntly fails to see this event as an individual case, which it is, and the mass media obediently repeats the hate mantra. The killings of dogs never stopped in Romania, as the officials are nearly never taking animal welfare issues seriously, but now the brutal killings have speeded up with the blessing of the president. All this makes one wonder, what kind of effect these brutal killings and abuses have on children, those who everyone apparently wishes to protect with these actions. Now millions of children are daily exposed on brutal acts of violence which will cause them trauma.

One cannot help wondering if this blind rage and brutal massacre against all dogs is even meant to solve anything or is it just a feeble justification for sadistic acts for people who would be much better off in psychiatric therapy?

Sadly first the friendly sociable dogs are killed, many of them in no doubt some child’s best and maybe the only friend. Also sadly the media nor the president is not interested in news whenever a dog saves a baby or a child. No interviews or TV discussion for the hero stray dog saving a new born baby in snow in sub-temperatures.

Last but not least, let’s ask ourselves, is this planned new law really representing Romania to the world as a civilized, responsible country worth respect, investment and maybe a visit and is it really doing the job in developing Romania to a better safer place to all?

Also visit the following facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Media-Bank-of-Romanian-stray-dog-abuse/160034624197722

UPDATE 6th September 2013:

The horror in Romania continues as every single dog on the streets of Romania is in danger of brutal torture and death. The first ones to die are the trusting, loving dogs who don't fear humans...after that, all the rest.

The dog in the picture was tortured by a brutal person who hit him with an axe and carved out his eye.

Not only the animals are in danger now, but also all the animal lovers and helpers in Romania are targeted by this insane hate that has taken over the country. The pain and sorrow of all animal activists is beyond words.

"People say when you are healthy you feel none of your organs in your body, and this is a good sign. Since our president talked on the news and asked for the mass killing of the dogs my heart become a big and heavy rock that I feel in my chest all the time, trembling. I think all animal lovers in Romania feel the same. We look at all the stray dogs we see on the streets and wonder what we'll do when we know that we don't have any more place to take them, and leaving them on the streets will mean leaving them to a sure death? Not only will the dogs be tortured with this new law, all animal lovers from romania that fight so hard for them so many times before will be tortured with the dogs.

For all that know what the love for animals is, you know what this will do to us....please fight for us and ask EU to step in, to help not only with words, but with money...ask them to invest in big shelters, in big neutering programs. Words will not help now, but a concrete plan offered by EU to romania will help." - Asociatia Ador

I urge you to visit the following link: Romania a country cries out for revenge after the tragic death of a four-year-old boy who had been attacked by dogs

 

A statement about the situation in Giurgiu, Romania by Magda Radu

Please take a moment of your time to read this informative statement made my Giurgiu's most effective and important animal advocate Magda Radu.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/magda-radu/my-public-statement-about-giurgiu/603702819663937

Romania - The dog Mafia

Romania - The dog mafia

Important videos and petitions

Making the Link

Extracts from Romania - Dogs' Right to Live

Petitions

https://www.change.org/petitions/european-parliament-investigate-action-ensure-romania-meets-eu-standards-for-animal-welfare?utm_campaign=friend_inviter_modal&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_true

https://www.facebook.com/events/438629742876035/

http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Boycott_the_request_of_Romania_to_enter_in_Schengen_until_it_will_solve_in_civilized_mode_the_problem_of_strays/?fJgsRdb&pv=4

https://www.change.org/petitions/mr-ovidiu-portariuc-mayor-of-botosani-collaborate-with-ador-and-implement-a-catch-neuter-return-program

http://www.causes.com/causes/800026-justice-for-carer-tereza-and-the-120-cats-and-dogs-burnt-to-death-25-10-2012-in-cluj-romania/actions/1702098

The cold, harsh, unforgiving winter grabs Romania again.

"If you survive in the streets of Romania, you can survive anywhere."

The coldness of winter and the heat of summer are the two most difficult times for animals and animal lovers in Romania. Once again they are struggling with the relentless cold to keep animals alive. These are also the times when these amazing people need our help more than ever.

Asociatia ADOR, based in Botosani, sent out a desperate call for help on their facebook page today;
"Please please help us feed the dogs...we receive so small amounts for food and we are unable to feed all dogs properly....Christmas is coming for them also, but is finding them in cold, wind, snow and hungry.. please, make a small Christmas present to our dogs....the most needed thing is food! We only raised 260 dollars from the 3000 dollars we need to pay the food suppliers...please don't abandon us in this very hard times for us and the dogs!"

 

ADOR also does it's best to help the dogs at the Botosani Public Shelter, a typical Romanian public shelter where no dog should ever have to live - or die.

For more information on how to help ADOR and the Botosani dogs, please visit ADOR's facebook page http://www.facebook.com/AsociatiaAdor

ADOR also has a chip-in for the dogfood they so desperately need: http://asocoatiaador.chipin.com/food-for-our-dogs-december

ADOR isn't the only one struggling day in and day out to help animals survive the winter. Many romanian associations and animal lovers face the same exhausting battle. I will post more links and info in the days to come.

A Doua Sansa - A call for help

 The association A Doua Sansa, more commonly known as the Glina shelter, is struggling very hard at the moment to feed all 200 dogs at their shelter, and donations are much appreciated.

Winter is coming, and we all know it's one of the toughest times for the animals at the animal shelters in Romania, so if you can help, in any way, please do.

The link to A Doua Sansa's chipin: http://mie.chipin.com/asociata-a-doua-sansa

A Doua Sansa's Paypal: ribana4you2000@yahoo.com 

For more information on the association please visit https://www.facebook.com/ADouaSansaAssociaton

DOGS POISONED IN SUCEAVA, ROMANIA! 4-5.10.2012

http://stirileprotv.ro/stiri/actualitate/caini-comunitari-ucisi-in-centrul-sucevei-oamenii-acuza-primaria-i-au-otravit-ca-sa-scape-de-ei.html

"Images of horror on the streets in the center of Suceava. Most dogs lay dead on the sidewalk last night and some were dying in pain.

People blame the local authorities and say the animals were poisoned. Hall rejects the accusations, while those from the Sanitary-Veterinary say they can not do analysis to find the cause of death because the corpses disappeared overnight.

Among the victims were dogs with masters, who had been taken out for a walk and, after eating something off the floor, died in agony.

Representatives Hall reported that none of their subordination has spread poison on the street.

Most of the Sanitary-Veterinary say they can not be accused of anything without evidence. Dogs who died Wednesday night disappeared.

Most of the city's sanitation companies announced however that they did not raise corpses. Worse is that it's not the first time, in Suceava, poisoned dogs die on the streets."

Romania's Forgotten Eight

ANU organization, Animals need us - Brasov, is a small organization with only a handful of volunteers. They all have jobs, and help in their "spare time". ANU has no shelter of its own, so they had to struggle hard with everything that happened.

To understand why something like this has happened (probably in more places than just Sacele) you need to understand that 2012 is a year when elections take place in Romania. In June Romania had local elections where the mayors were elected. After that the president was suspended. One party, made the problem of the strays their motto, "We will kill all the stray dogs and get rid of them all for good". They started to do it before the elections so that people would see that they meant it, without any interest in what the few laws that Romania has say. They started to catch dogs from the streets, without having a legal shelter to take them to, so they improvised. The Sacele illegal shelter was only one that ANU happened to find.

About 40 dogs were caught between the 12th and 13th of April. The location where they took the dogs was a secret (and it is obvious why, the conditions were terrible and they wanted to kill the dogs to get rid of them). ANU found this location with much difficulty, and when they did, there were only 19 dogs left. What happened with the others...one can only guess. The people of ANU hope that most of them escaped, as some other dogs did after they were found. The caretaker told ANU that there were about 40 initially, and some of them escaped, some of them died (there were very rough fights in there). Imagine 40 dogs in one room; males, females, puppies, females in heat... one female even gave birth in there.

About the 19 dogs that ANU found

One was adopted, 2 dogs had broken legs and opened fractures, so they were considered medical emergencies. ANU managed to get an other organization to take them, since they do not have a space of their own, unfortunately this organization did not want to get involved more than that because there was a political issue involved. In the end the people of ANU got them to take the two injured dogs.

2 dogs were rescued by some other good hearted people; the female that gave birth and the surviving puppy (unfortunately he died later) and a German Shepard mix. 5 dogs escaped, some of them have been seen back in the neighbourhood that they were taken from. The remaining 9 dogs ANU managed to get out themselves. Now ANU has 8 adult dogs that nobody wants.

"These dogs have been through enough... we only want to see them happy and re-homed!" said a volunteer from ANU.

 For more information on how to help, please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/358004187604927/

UPDATES ON THE FORGOTTEN EIGHT 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/358004187604927/ 

Botosani - Neutering campaign stopped by the authorities

May 2012 was meant to be a wonderful month for the dogs in Botosani.

Asociatia ADOR and RAR (Romanian Animal Rescue) joined forces to help solve the problem of overpopulation of stray dogs in Botosani, a problem that the City Hall Botosani has not been able to solve. In this campaign, dogs, both owned and strays, were going to be sterilized, vaccinated and dewormed. FOR FREE!

Outside the clinic

The goal was to spay/neuter up to 1000 animals in the city of Botosani, Romania, with volunteers arriving from around the globe to help. The plan was to spay/neuter animals for a duration of two weeks, the last day being May 30th, with hopes of the sterilization program reaching a large number of dogs and cats.

The public was very open to the sterilization campaign, because the number of dogs registered for sterilization for the first day was considerable; about 500 dogs and 100 cats.

Volunteers involved came from several countries (USA, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and of course Romania) to help veterinarians to operate all dogs registered.

The clinic and space where all the action took place was offered for free by VelmaVet.

On the 4th day, however, local authorities - or more specifically - the Director of DSV (Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety) Minodora Vasiliu stopped the sterilization campaign on the grounds that there were a number of statutory conditions not met. "We only observed the law", Vasiliu says, denying any foul play being involved. 

The volunteers and charity workers see it quite differently. "They gave all kinds of astonishing reasons for closing down the campaign. For instance, they claimed that we didn't have authorization from the DSV. This is false, a volunteer who actually works at the DSV personally worked on all the papers and we got the ok. We wouldn't have done it otherwise." One of the volunteers says.

Other reasons the DSV had given were that some of the volunteers didn't have medical training - This was true, however, the volunteers weren't doing any medical action, they were sorting the dogs, petting to keep them calm, brushing them, cleaning before surgery, removing hair in the operation area before the vets would take them on the table, talking to the owners, reassuring the dogs once they were awake from the anesthetics etc.

Director of DSV Minodora Vasiliu

The DSV also claimed that the space was too small - The vet clinic in question was the only one that agreed to help with the sterilization campaign, no other veterinary cabinet wished to help because of being politically controlled or fear of repercussion from helping ADOR. The RAR team was available to do the operations in other spaces, even in tents, but the DVS specifically asked for a vet clinic and the charities conformed. "The space was enough given that it was a spayathon directing at neutering stray dogs, not a luxury salon for dogs. The vets worked perfectly in there, so again this was a far fetched reason."

Other claims were made as well, like that the dogs were put on blankets on the clinic's floor after the surgery and that it wasn't a septic space - Although true, it was warm enough and there were many blankets on the floor, no risk of disease really existed. Volunteers stayed besides the dogs, caring and petting and making sure they were perfectly safe. It was far better than doing it how the local vets do it; simply putting the spayed dog into the owner's arms right after the surgery is ready, even though most people have no idea how to care for the dogs after the surgery. That's why the charities and their volunteers wanted to keep the dogs for a few hours at the clinic and keep them under observation, instructing owners on how to care for them. People from abroad working in hospitals even said that this sometimes happens with humans too and that there is no real problem as long as someone didn't specifically put dirt onto the dogs' wounds.

Apparently unaccustomed to western veterinary skills, the DSV were skeptical about the quick pace and small incision scars left from the surgery, not taking into consideration that the surgeons were extremely skilled and used good surgical equipment.

Probably the most ridiculous claim the DSV came up with was that the American vets don't have the legal right to do operations in Romania. When the RAR team then hired good doctors from other cities in Romania (Romanian vets), this wasn't good enough for the DSV either. They wanted every vet that performed surgery to have a clinic in Botosani(?!), and that they would each operate in their own clinic, not have them all come to one clinic and perform the surgeries in the same clinic.

The final reason, and also the official one, the DSV decided to go with, was that only 15 animals could have been sterilized per day, instead of 55. This would have meant the veterinarians would have had to stay for 66 more days, which financially wouldn't be possible, since everything was being payed for from donations received.

If there was ANY base to the claims made by the DSV, then why hasn't there been any problems with the sterilization campaigns organized and conducted under the same conditions in other cities: Craiova, Cluj Turda, Sibiu, Oradea, Galati, Blackpool, Moreni. In these cities the local authorities have supported the efforts of sponsors and volunteers. And for the claims of limited operations per day, just take a look at last years successful Craiova Spayathon campaign by RAR, where four veterinarians, two from the United States and two from Romania, spayed 1400 dogs and cats during 10 days!

The true reasons for this ludicrous charade by the DSV's director lies most likely in the outcome of last years stray dog massacre in Botosani, where over 200 dogs were killed under false pretenses.

DSV's director Minodora Vasiliu, as well as the mayor of Botosani Catalin Flutur among others, were considered to be prosecuted by the Botosani Court for their involvement in the massacre. Unfortunately, corruption prevailed, and the aforementioned only got a bad image, nothing else.

Asociatia ADOR was the one who made the 2011 Botosani dog massacre public, which lead to bad publicity for DSV's director Minodora Vasiliu. Vasiliu is also married to a local vet who apparently was less than happy that people got their dogs neutered for free instead of paying to use his practice, a posh and expensive clinic in Botosani.

The public feels betrayed by the unreasonable decision to end the sterilization campaign, quotes;

"Where was the law when the decision was made to kill the 240 dogs in Botosani public shelter? Do you think the people of Botosani are stupid?"

"Is it better for people who cannot afford expensive veterinarian services to leave their dogs unsterilized because of the DSV's personal vendettas??"

"Amazing how suddenly some are so quick to "respect the law" and ask for papers over papers, accreditations and credentials only when it suites them! When they brutally killed 240 dogs last year, did that comply with the law?"

It has been stated time and time again that spay&neuter is the only solution to reduce the overpopulation of unwanted animals. It is unfathomable that the city of Botosani has not risen to the occasion to be part of the solution, handed to them on a silver plate.

Shameful. And truly, truly sad.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Interview with Nancy Janes from RAR and Veterinarian Aurelian Stefan:
http://www.botosaninecenzurat.ro/20120522-interviu-in-exclusivitate-cu-nancy-janes-president-ceo-and-founder-romania-animal-rescue-inc-si-dr-aurelian-stefan.html

Introduction - Asociaţia PetHope

Asociatia PetHope consists of 10 active people that came together out of love for animals.

Their animal protection association was founded in April 2010.

They focus on spay & neuter, education and emergencies.

"Basically we focus on spay/neuter as it is the only way to do something for the future of these dogs, but we never turn away when an animal is suffering and help urgent cases. We also help when it comes to adoptions, national and international.

We have at the moment  50 dogs in our care, half of them are dogs that need special care after something bad happened to them. The others are living in a mini-shelter and waiting for forever homes." -Alina, PetHope

SPAY & NEUTER

 

After years of experience Pet Hope has come to the conclusion that the only way to change the situation of stray dogs in the city is to spay and neuter, to act upon the source not the effect.

Stray dogs are mainly found on companies and factories premises. Dogs are fed there by employees and are able to reproduce very quickly.

This is one of the reasons why Pet Hope, together with the Timisoara City Hall, started a program to spay and neuter the dogs living at companies and factories.
  The City Hall will pay for the materials used in surgeries and Pet Hope has to pay for for veterinarian services.

PetHope also has a separate spay&neuter program which they started together with the students from ASMVT (the veterinary students association from Timisoara).

Together with ASMVT we are trying to build, step by step, our own spay and neuter program.

The plan is to build a post-op space (which has already started), to get a car, and to raise money for the spay and neuter itself.

Ideally, some day we dream of having our own spay/neuter clinic (optionally mobile), where vets can volunteer every day.

In order to do all that we need a lot of help: volunteers, funds, support of the authorities. Everyone should get involved because it is a problem of the community, not only of animal lovers.

 

EMERGENCY CASES

 

Almost every day we are called for animals who are suffering, all over the city.
Sometimes, what we see is horrible and the amount of suffering is huge.
Here you can see a few cases:

 BEFORE & AFTER

 

Sometimes people say: "You put so much energy in saving only one dog, when you could save so many others instead!". But look at these pictures, look in their eyes and tell us it is not worth it or that you wouldn't do the same?

Together with the students from the veterinary faculty, 

we are building a space where dogs or cats can stay 

after their surgery, but also our, lately many, emergencies.
The students do a great, great job and without the kind 

donations of some Pet Hope members we couldn't do it.
 

 MINI-SHELTER & ADOPTION

There was a time when PetHope took every puppy from the streets they could find.
But soon realized it just isn't possible to take them all.
Many of them got adopted, but some weren't so lucky. Now they have grown. The perspective of keeping them in a mini-shelter all their lives is depressing.
Newer dogs come from emergencies and abuse.

"These kennels are the best we can do for our dogs right now... Conditions are not the best as you can see, but the dogs are healthy and still sociable. Though they cannot live all their lives in here...."

"These (the ones occupying the mini-shelter at the moment) are just some of our dogs who are strong enough to live like this. Others are in foster homes."

PetHope has partnered up with two animal protection associations in Germany.
Once a month they send dogs and cats which have found families there.
 

"Because Facebook is being such a great help, we have found more wonderful people from all over Europe that are adopting animals from Romania."

EVENTS

In the end of 2011 musician Nicolae Bialis had a wonderful idea: to organize a concert with his fellow artists for the strays in Timisoara by fund raising, but most important to show the support of the artists for the "spay/neuter" method.

"The result has been fantastic, and we thank all the people involved from the bottom of our hearts!"
The local theater and the local opera house took the organization of the event in their own skillful hands and together with Pet Hope, the Art Time Association and the Association for Timisoara Cultural Capital of Europe, put up an astonishing event.

Through the show PetHope displayed a presentation with photos they had gathered during the years of their activities: cases they'd found, animals they'd saved, situations they had recorded and the important message for spay/neuter.
"The guests donated 5033 RON (around 1200 Euros) which we will use very carefully to continue the spay/neuter campaign."

PetHope also arranges adoption fairs, demonstration campaigns, attends festivals with their dogs etc. They also have met local Parliament members in order to promote spay & neuter.

If you wish to be part of the change and help PetHope with their amazing work, please donate, adopt and share!

E-mail:

pet.hope.association@gmail.com

Donations:

Lei Account:

Asociaţia Pet Hope

IBAN: RO96 RZBR 0000 0600 1253 5915

Banca Raiffeisen Bank

CIF 26863617

Euro Account:

Asociaţia Pet Hope

RO45 RZBR 0000 0600 1378 2216

Banca Raiffeisen Bank

SWIFT (BIC): RZBRROBU

Paypal:

pethope@live.com