Support communities, improve animal welfare

By educating people about animal welfare, we will encourage more compassion and which will help contribute to less abandonment and, ultimately, to improve the stray crisis.

ROLDA FOR SENIORS

In Romania, there are millions of older people who often feel alone, depressed and likewise, hundreds of street animals that suffer in silence.

Such daunting figures make it seem that the problem is unsolvable, like we should abandon hope and hide away the knowledge in a distant recess of our minds.

ROLDA, refuses not to try. The longest journeys start with the smallest step, and we’ll start small, but we’ll never give up on our mission to see those figures going close to zero.

For many seniors, having a pet is the best thing that has happened to them.

Our #FriendsForever social campaign started in January 2023 and pays for pet-related costs for Romanian seniors who need support to access emergency veterinary care, surgery or any other expensive treatment for their furry companion.

The #FriendsForever social program, ROLDA also covers the costs related to adoption (sterilization, microchip, vaccination) to make it easier for seniors to adopt a dog or a cat.

Animals are the perfect companion for the elderly, alleviating loneliness and listlessness by offering all the unconditional love, energy and affection a happy and healthy dog can offer.

Educating the next generation

Children are the future. It is entirely in our power to educate them about compassion, respect, and empathy to assure the communities we are building and the citizens we are raising, are kinder and more caring. Not just toward animals, but to each other and to all the life forms with whom we share our planet.

“Speak Toto’s Language” is one of the few brochures we created to educate people (especially children) about dogs’ body language.

We have created a super colouring book which is backed up online by “ABC for kids” a web section in Romanian, where we offer guidance to kids on how to look after their furry buddies responsibly and to offer them (under adult supervision) the correct assistance and care.

We have printed and distributed hundreds of colouring books in disadvantaged rural areas to help educate children on animal welfare.

Some while ago, the children from local school asked for our help to sterilise their dogs because they now understand the importance of sterilisation and do not want to see their pets abandoned or killed. It is important to know that according to law, all pets in Romania must be neutered, microchipped and registered. Failure to do so results in fines between €1,100 and €2,200.

Most pet owners cannot afford to sterilise, microchip and register their pets, so some choose to abandon their pets to avoid the fines.
It was a big moment of joy for ROLDA to interact with children who asked us for help with their animals!

ROLDA organised various contests (literature, painting) in partnership with local schools and welcome visits from children and their teachers at the small shelter, where they could meet our rescued dogs.

ROLDA’s Education & Welfare Campaign encompasses a variety of tools and efforts designed to reach different segments of the community:

• The "Speak Toto Language" project helps people understand dog body language so they can safely interact with strays, reducing fear and problems.
• Colouring books for free are being given to schools in the countryside and for young children. By using kid-friendly content, children learn about taking care of a dog as part of the family, learn their responsibilities, and grow to understand how animals feel.
• Online guides and resources are available (in Romanian and English) with info on puppy care, senior dog tips, vet advice, travel tips, and how to spot abuse.
• You'll find podcasts and videos with vets and pet owners where we discuss animal welfare, responsible pet ownership, and humane treatment for adults.
• We provide money and sterilization services to owners to help control pet populations.
• We have a "FriendsForever" program to help older or vulnerable pet owners who are struggling financially or physically, so they can keep their pets and avoid having to abandon them.

Community Engagement & Wider Social Goals

• ROLDA acknowledges that Romania’s social and cultural landscape is diverse — beliefs, traditions and even fear of animals vary widely. Their education campaign aims to meet communities where they are, addressing concerns like fear of stray dogs, disease, noise or hygiene.
• By targeting children early (through schools), ROLDA aims to foster a generational shift: teaching compassion, empathy and responsible pet ownership from a young age, which could lead to long-term decline in animal neglect and abandonment.
• Treating animals better, they say, makes our communities safer and more compassionate places. ROLDA believes that people who are cruel to animals are probably jerks to other people. It's all about staying safe.
• The challenges and why this campaign is important.

• Deep-rooted ignorance or indifference means that rescue and shelter efforts alone can’t solve the problem. Without education, stray populations, cruelty and abandonment will continue rising.
• Cultural traditions — including the common practice of abandoning litters of puppies or kittens — contribute to over-population of strays. The campaign works to reshape those beliefs through awareness and education.
• Fear and misconceptions about strays — regarding aggression, disease, noise, hygiene — create social resistance. By teaching dog behaviour and responsible ownership, ROLDA hopes to reduce neighbour-to-neighbour tensions and build trust.

 Impact & What the Campaign Achieves

• Education by ROLDA helps stop animal cruelty and abandonment, so their rescue shelters aren't as overwhelmed.
• ROLDA uses colouring books, programs, online stuff, and podcasts to help people in both the country and the city, especially in poorer areas that need vet help.
• It's all about teaching people to be kind and responsible pet owners, so there are fewer homeless pets, less neglect, and happier animals overall.

What's Next and What We'll Do

This campaign by ROLDA is key to helping animals and dealing with the stray problem in Romania. They fix the problem from all angles: saving people, helping them recover, giving them a home, and teaching others.

How can we keep improving this campaign:

• Spread the word and get learning materials, like books and online stuff, to areas that don't have much, especially in the country.
• To get the word out to older people, let's try schools, community centers, and media like podcasts and social media.
• Encourage collaboration with local veterinary clinics, community leaders and authorities to support sterilization, responsible ownership and reporting of abuse.
• Monitor and measure outcomes — e.g. reduced abandonment rates, fewer stray litters, improved community attitudes — to track progress and identify areas needing more work.