In November 2019 some of our volunteer team headed off to Romania on an outreach trip. Their aim was to care for stray dogs, help out in the safe shelters and try to save as many dogs from the kill-shelters as was possible in the short few days they were there.
 
When they arrived in Romania, their first stop was a local supermarket to stock up on dog food and treats.  Although they took as much as their luggage allowance permitted, they knew from past experience that it would never be enough.
 
As they left the store a small puppy came running over to the team, as if somehow she knew that these people were her to help her.  Aside from being very hungry, she was also injured and limping on a swollen leg.  The team took one look at her and knew there was no way they were going to be leaving her on the streets to suffer for a single moment more! They immediately rang one of the safe shelters the rescue works with and arranged for this little girl to be picked up.  

Like most people, I try and strive to be the best version of myself and set a strong example for my children. I’m not expecting to save the planet, but I’d like to do more to “help” that extends beyond reducing my carbon footprint. My most recent venture has been so heart warming, far beyond my expectations, & the most emotionally rewarding thing I have ever undertaken– we have fostered a dog.

After losing my beloved border collie of 13 years last year, my family and I were left with a huge hole in our hearts. I had always wanted to rescue a dog, but was not feeling ready to take this step. So I decided to look into fostering. Having worked in the “dog industry” for over 10 years, I felt that I had developed the right skill set to help rehabilitate and re-home a dog that needed my help. A close friend of mine runs a Romanian dog rescue called “Dogs Walk this Way Rescue”, and she was my first port of call.

My partner and I, together with our two children, live on a farm as my partner is a farmer. When we first met, I had a dog and he had two, we both also always had dogs in our families growing up. We unfortunately, over time, lost our three dogs due to old age losing the last one Christmas Eve 2018, which was heart-breaking. We discussed getting another dog but said we would wait until after our wedding in October 2019. 
 
I knew of Dogs Walk This Way Rescue as I know Rachael through the horsey world, plus a few of my friends had adopted dogs from the rescue before. 
 
We hadn’t really planned to adopt, as such, when we discussed getting another dog but when one day I was looking through Facebook and one of the Dogs Walk This Way post popped up with some beautiful puppies who needed a home and I fell in love!

Here they are when they first arrived in the UK

Rachael’s account of a day in Romania

What a long day 😪😴 emotional doesn't even come near to what I experienced today. It's gone 9pm and I'm exhausted. We were driving for 6 hours to get to Vaslui public shelter... the lovely Ana Grasu met me and Anna Mary to guide us in. To say I was anxious was an understatement. We had a row on the way in with the guard at the entrance but this is typical in Romania! They knew we were not going anywhere!

​On the drive way down to the kill shelter we spotted 8 puppies on the road. We stopped and I got  out to feed them some of wet sachets we had. They were starving 😞. Ana will go back and vaccinate them and take them to her shelter over the next few days.

On entering the shelter (I can still hear the cries 😪💔) the noise was horrific, desperate cries for help and before I entered I thought to myself 'I can't do this'... how can I go in and walk out without  ALL of them. Feeling like the blood was almost on my hands was gut wrenching 😪💔.