Animals in trouble due to storms.
So many followers on Facebook, so many self-proclaimed true animal lovers… I see them pass by, but it seems that I am invisible to them. Me with my almost 400 dogs, none of us are seen.
This is how Laura Calugaru sees the world from her shelter in Romania. Maybe the people outside the shelter think her world is more beautiful than it is?
But Laura works 24/7 with only 2 volunteers who want to be ready on time. Laura doesn't have that choice.
Even greater are the concerns whether she can feed all the animals today. And tomorrow ... and the day after tomorrow ... The lack of donations gives her and every animal helper constant nightmares.
Enlarge images when you click on them. (Not on mobile)
And at times, Laura literally feels sick. Like when 'people' threw 9 puppies over her 2-meter-high fence. Without mercy or shame. That frustrates her enormously:
“Is a sterilisation too expensive for you? In six months, your dog will be pregnant again, and you will carelessly throw her children away again. Then don't throw them over the fence, but come to the gate and give them to me neatly.
Or even better: come with your dog and I will sterilise her because it is also to my advantage if I do that. Now I have 9 pups that each need to be vaccinated 3 times. I have the costs of deworming, microchipping, food and - if they are not adopted - sterilisations and more food…”
For anyone who now thinks: 'then you shouldn't take so many animals' the following. Rescuers - the name says it all: rescuers - don't 'take' animals, they save them.
Because even if no animals are thrown over the fence, Laura saves animals from the public municipal shelter if she can even for a moment.
If you have never been to such a municipal shelter, you have no idea what goes on there. You can go there today (if you have a strong stomach) and then again in 2 or 3 weeks to see if you find another one the same. Dozens of dogs disappear every week. They are all euthanized.
They are taken out of the kennels by the guards and walk along obediently. Waving their tails hopefully, they walk to their deaths.
And no, please don't tell the poor animals in advance, but a syringe is considered a waste of money there ...
The stray dogs around Hunedoara have 3 options. Laura's shelter, the street or the municipal shelter. The latter shelter offers the animal 2 weeks the chance of adoption, otherwise death awaits. The street offers an animal only pain and suffering. And Laura's shelter is far from perfect, but at least it offers a decent life. For more than 1000 lucky people in recent years. Unfortunately, the animals cannot choose for themselves…
Finding out in the killing station who can come along is a torment every time. Which do you choose, HOW do you choose? All dog eyes are on you! They bark at the loudest: “take me… take me…”
Whichever you choose, it feels so unfair to the others. So you don't walk out of the gate with a satisfied feeling, because you were able to save a few. No, you walk out of the gate with a stone in your stomach and a huge sense of guilt. You have NOT been able to save so many, and all those heads stay with you. Days, weeks, some years…
All dogs are equal to Laura, so she doesn't choose them for looks.
Because no animal deserves to die without even the slightest chance of happiness.
Without help and donations, Laura was only able to save 5 dogs this time ☹
With our help, there can be more.
Unfortunately, it won't all have a happy ending, but hey, you'll be one of those lucky ones
And then the project is written. It remains for us to find nice, sweet or emotional photos. And then … this happens in the middle of July: heavy storms and downpours tear the roofs off the kennels. The dogs are terrified, Laura perhaps most of all. Now that the storm is over, the animals are without any shelter in temperatures above 40 degrees. In September, the torrential rains of autumn arrive again. Laura tries to pull herself together. The roof is damaged beyond repair. Check out the havoc on her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laura.calugaru.5
A new roof must be installed, preferably as soon as possible. But… there is no money. Even the little food that was left has been destroyed. How much misery and adversity can one person handle? Please help again.
You can help these animals directly by transferring an amount to:
NL16 INGB 0004 7841 60 Attn. Stichting Dierennood o.v.v. 'Aid project 170'
And we ensure that your donation will really only be used for this aid project.
With us there is no deduction for salaries, housing or unnecessary frills.
Or donate via the button below:
Target amount: 8,500 euros - Balance as at 27 August 2023: 7,779 euros
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL THE GREAT DONORS!
August 29 - Another very nice weekly yield! Thank you! Hopefully the target amount will also be reached in the coming days.
August 21st- Unbelievable... we paused for a moment at the mighty wonderful total amount that came in this week for the aid project of the month.... What was written in Tuesday's Newsletter has you apparently they were all very excited, so that so much was donated. But of course it's also horrible to have to make impossible choices about which dog to take/buy out at a killing shelter and which one to leave because you don't have space or money... Laura unfortunately has to make these choices very often. And then there was that terrible storm. With this huge amount she will at least be able to have the roof repaired, buy extra food and hopefully also be able to get many more hopeless animals out of the animal shelter. Laura probably has to read the amount herself a few times to believe what has already come in. We hope that we will also (well) reach the target amount in the next week and a half - that will surely give her a lot of strength and energy. In any case, THANK YOU very much for this fantastic weekly yield!
August 14 - Super, almost two thousand euros in total donations have already been received for Laura! Tomorrow the Newsletter will be published in which this project will be put in the spotlight, so we hope to be able to note an even better amount next week. So that if Laura reads all this, it will give hope and make her happy, and hopefully she can get started soon with the preparations for the repair of the roof and a stock of food can also be bought.
August 7th - A new month, a new aid project. Shortly after it was written, disaster struck. Enormous storms destroyed the entire roof and the feed was no longer usable. Hopefully with your support this month we will succeed in raising a wonderful amount, so that the roof can be repaired quickly and food can be bought from it. And so much more that is necessary... At least a nice start this first week. Thank you very much!
until 6 August: 894 euros
up to and including 13 August: 1004 euros
until 20 Aug.: 5031 euros