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THE REALITY FOR STRAYS ON
Romanian Territory
Our first trip to Romania dates back to August 2001. Basescu, then mayor of Bucarest and now president of Romania, used extremely cruel methods to resolve the stray phenomenon. This mobilized many European animal associations in protest. The stray dog problem began in the eighties with Nicolae Ceausescu who demolished houses in the outskirts of Bucarest and in doing so, gave origin to the abominable structures called “blocks” made of tiny apartments. The inhabitants were forced to abandon their animals on the streets where they began to uncontrollably reproduce. There were 80,000 dogs barbarically killed in one year.
The news of the stray massacre in Romanian territory spread and pushed us to actively take part by providing help for basic needs. We provided surgical instruments, medicines, sanitary material and funds towards buying food. In January 2001 we decided to build a shelter after a fruitful collaboration with the Bucarest NATURE association and after seeing the dramatic conditions of the animals. Our consumers have sustained our association with their great sensitivity to our cause. We were able to buy 3,000 mq of land on the outskirts of Bucarest with the funds we collected and there we built our dog kennel. Now we are working ..ing the veterinarian clinic. There will be distance adoption, a valid means of support that allows us to guarantee one daily meal and any necessary care from the veterinarian to around 188 dogs and 55 cats who now reside in our shelter.
We faced a new emergency in January 2006: a Japanese diplomat lost his life after he was attacked by a stray. The authorities applied cruel security measures; 1500 dogs were exterminated in just 3 days. The worst thing were the numerous cases of individuals who personally intervened on the street by beating and poisoning the strays.
We immediately sprang into action by encouraging adoption: dogs come to Italy already vaccinated, sterilized and fitted with a microchip. They are destined for families who have volunteered, yet our thoughts go to those who are unfortunately still in Romanian territory. Now we are involved in a very important sterilization campaign of strays in collaboration with Dr. Liviu Gaita at the Bucarest Ortovet clinic. The dogs are taken from the streets, sterilized and vaccinated. A recognition title that bears the Ortovet identification number is placed in one ear. Emergency interventions, vaccinations and sterilizations are sponsored for dogs whose owners can’t afford the costs, dogs who are staying in dog kennels on Romanian territory or vagrant dogs who are put back on the streets after being operated on. It is essential and a priority to stem the birth phenomenon so that the appalling massacres on Romanian territory will stop. We must help ease the suffering of these stray animals. These types of images reoccur daily: animals in desperate conditions and starving to death are rescued and brought inside the refuge.
Rickets due to malnutrition is very widespread. This is our CRIN who had been found near dead close to the refuge. She was rescued and cured and now lives happily in Italy.
There has been a moderate improvement in the percentage of dogs abandoned since our programme of free sterilization and vaccination started at the Ortovet clinic in Bucarest thanks to Dr. Liviu Gaita. A considerable number of puppies are no longer abandoned to a certain death but are left near the actual clinic or even at the entrance to our shelter.