One of many tactics used by Speranta Shelter in Romania is to educate children and families to help tackle the country's stray dog issue at its heart.
Beyond Rescue: UK Dog Lovers Urged To Help Tackle Romania's Stray Dog Issue At Its Heart
1 week ago 
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With new Defra import rules and a UK pet abandonment crisis highlighting the need for responsible welfare, Speranța Shelter’s prevention-led model gains urgent relevance
A leading Romanian animal shelter is appealing to UK dog lovers to help it continue its lifechanging work supporting responsible welfare.
With stories of rising pet abandonment across the UK* placing responsible welfare firmly in the spotlight, along with new Defra regulations tightening import testing, Speranta Shelter in Bucharest is expanding its mission of rescue, rehab and re-homing strays, to add sterilisation of strays and education of children and adults to be able to tackle the stray dog issue at its source.
As the single largest source of imported rescue dogs to the UK, Romania is at a critical turning point in its dog population management and Speranța’s work offers a humane sustainable solution which aligns with growing scrutiny of animal welfare both in the UK and abroad.
“The UK has shown immense compassion for Romanian dogs, but the systemic solution lies in addressing the root of the problem here and to do that, we need your support,” said Anca Tomescu, the internationally renowned veterinary surgeon who leads Speranța Shelter.
“While UK shelters are full, simply moving dogs from one overburdened system to another isn’t the long-term answer. Our mission is to reduce the problem at its source.”
‘Education programme’
With support from global animal welfare organisation Four Paws, Speranta has grown tremendously over the last 20-plus years. However, that support has now ended and the team at Speranta are looking to the UK for help to increase its impact to help reduce the suffering of stray dogs in Romania.
Anca said: “We are very grateful to the support from Four Paws over the past 20 years. However, now that has concluded, we are appealing to UK dog lovers to help us expand our holistic solution to manage the stray dog population by attacking the root causes of the problem.
“Through our ongoing sterilisation programme, which has involved more than 100,000 dogs, we directly reduce the number of dogs born on the streets, while our education programme also helps to reduce the number of abandoned dogs – this is the future of responsible animal welfare.”
Speranța’s model is built on core pillars that resonate with current UK challenges, including a strict no-euthanasia policy, with its on-site veterinary hospital able to provide lifelong care, from complex surgeries to behavioural rehabilitation.
Its rehoming programme, which includes Messengers of Hope to rehabilitate traumatised dogs so they can find loving homes, has helped Speranta realise a 50 per cent increase in physical adoptions within Romania over the last year.
Speranta’s pioneering remote adoption programme also allows UK dog-lovers to ethically adopt from a distance. A remote adoption with Speranta means ensuring a life-long sanctuary for a dog in Romania without adding to the strain on British rescue centres.
“We know how many loving homes in the UK have been provided to Romanian dogs,” said Anca.
“For those who wish to help further, our remote adoption scheme is a direct way to support a dog’s entire journey.
“For example, Levănțica has a neurological disease and can only walk with difficulty using a special aid designed for her. By ‘remotely adopting’ Levănțica you can support this affectionate, loving dog continue to enjoy her life here at Speranta.
“With every donation, you help reduce the long-term suffering of stray dogs in Romania and support adoptions in Romania. You are not just rescuing one animal; you are helping to break the cycle for thousands more Please support the home of hope for Romania’s dogs.”
For more information on Speranța Shelter, its remote adoption programme or to pledge a lifesaving donation, visit www.sperantashelter.org.
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