We cannot let the 500 dogs at Nicoleta's shelter starve!

1. In Romania, Nicoleta is running out of kibble to feed the 500 dogs at her shelter. They will starve if no one helps!

"I look after over 500 dogs, the shelter is definitely overcrowded and as well as the rescues I do myself, many people also drop dogs off directly at my doors! The new arrivals are relentless while most of my planned adoptions can't happen due to the British border ban... Yet I’m not afraid of the subsequent workload such a huge number of dogs implies; what scares me the most at the moment is the lack of kibble!

Donations have dropped and this has a huge impact on my ability to provide kibble for the dogs... Not to mention that the price of a single bag has doubled in the last few months! The supply of kibble is undoubtedly the biggest problem we face; lately I have only been able to buy the cheapest kibble on the market, the quality is not there and my remaining stock is very low... The dogs are not getting enough to eat and this diet is not good for them in the long run.

This situation affects me both financially and emotionally, I feel trapped and powerless. This campaign is the only way for us to secure kibble over the next while and make sure our dogs have enough to eat... I can't even dare to think about what might happen if this were to fail..."

2. Nicoleta relies on this kibble campaign to prevent further health issues and aggressivity among the shelter’s dogs!

"In terms of quantity, the portions the dogs currently get is supposed to be enough, but the lack of quality affects them on different levels... We've already started to see some changes in their health and behavior. We've recently had an outbreak of dermatitis - a nasty skin condition making the dogs lose hairs and scratch a lot. It requires adapted treatment as their skin gets infected rapidly… And it makes the dogs more irritable which leads to another subsequent consequence... dog fights. The dogs have started fighting over food more and more lately and it can be very dangerous, especially for the weakest dogs!

I'm very scared because I know that if I don't find a way to procure enough quality kibble very soon, the dogs will have bigger resource guarding instincts and fights will happen even more frequently... We have many sick dogs with medical conditions at the shelter and the side effects just mentioned will be even more pernicious on their weakened health. The strongest ones might survive, fending for themselves for a little while but the weakest won’t make it... We desperately need your help!"

3. Nera just gave birth on the street: she’s emaciated and needs kibble to build enough strength to nurse her puppies!

"I found Nera on the streets of the city after a stormy night; she had just given birth under pouring rain. Sadly, I noticed one of the puppies died during the storm… I managed to rescue the remaining ones and brought everyone to the shelter.

Nera is especially vulnerable right now, she is exhausted by her difficult delivery, she is very weak and skinny. Nursing her babies requires incredible strength and she absolutely needs to gain weight and energy in order to be able to carry out that task. This campaign is essential for her to be a healthy mom and feed healthy puppies!"

4. The  shelter’s expenses keep increasing, while inflation severely impacts Nicoleta and her donors’ finances: she can no longer buy kibble for her dogs!

"We haven't really had donations lately. Locally, people generally have low incomes so spending their money on dogs isn't among their priorities. I rely mostly on international help but even abroad, everybody seems to be struggling right now. With the pandemic, the war and now the inflation, things are just getting more and more complicated around the globe and my donations have dropped as a result. Sadly, the shelter's daily expenses never reach a halt : they just keep growing along with the number of dogs under our care. 

I have thousands of euros of debts to the food supplier, the vet clinics… and my adoptions are the lowest they've ever been! We went from 20-30 adoptions to an average of 1-2 adoptions currently. I’m constantly feeling insecure and helpless because I don’t have a steady source of income to support the shelter’s actions and the many dogs under my care. And I can’t reduce or postpone these costs as long as they’re linked with my dogs' health and well-being... 

My dogs are my priorities and getting them fed is always at the top of that list! But the recent price increases in the pet food sector have put us in an intolerable position. We really need help to feed our dogs and carry on our rescue mission..."

5. Nicoleta isn't asking for money, only kibble to prevent the dogs from starving.

"My main purpose with the shelter is to save strays before they end up euthanised, as it is still the procedure in Romanian pounds… I often rescue abandoned dogs from disastrous situations, left to their own devices and vulnerable… And while my actions contribute to reducing the number of strays in my region, people in the area aren't very supportive of my actions unfortunately. People like myself who rescue dogs are most of the time looked down upon; it is all due to the general lack of consideration and empathy towards dogs in Romania. Many people still only see dogs as objects and not family members…

I take care of everything at the shelter: I clean the kennels, I feed the dogs and give them the necessary care and treatment... Every day I am so happy when I see the gratitude on their faces! The dogs don't need much and they always seem to be happy that someone is there to look after them. I dedicate my life to trying to make a difference in theirs, but although I am happy to take on the workload alone, I still need help with the associated expenses! I want to increase the number of adoptions and be able to continue to help street dogs, but to do that I need more help. If I don't get more support, it will be increasingly difficult to maintain my dog rescue mission..."

6. If this campaign succeeds, Nicoleta will not receive any money but 3000 kg of kibble, delivered from Animal Webaction's logistics platform in Romania.

Animal Webaction has a logistics platform in Romania which enables us to intervene quickly and deliver kibbles.

7. Nicoleta’s supporters have done their maximum, but adoptions and donations are too low : this campaign is her last chance to feed the dogs!

“I have partnerships with two organisations helping me with adoptions, one in France and one in Germany. Their support and promotion allow me to get one or two dogs adopted each month. Their help is really valuable but it remains limited, especially lately as I have over 500 dogs at the shelter... Not to mention that Britain is one of the main destinations for adoptions and with the border ban, adopted dogs have to stay at the shelter until further notice.

It’s become so hard to find the necessary resources and help to get kibble for that many dogs! I really try to rally as many people as possible, through communication, online fundraisings on my Facebook page… The latters are proving more fruitless each time. Foreign organisations are my only support base but they have little room for manoeuvre in these difficult times. In doing so, I sadly never manage to get enough kibble for 500 dogs. I really need this Animal Webaction campaign to succeed because my dogs’ lives depend on it. Please help them!" 

8. Campaigns launched on Animal Webaction often fail.

When a campaign fails, Animal Webaction cannot deliver the products. The beneficiary doesn't receive anything and the buyers are refunded. 

9. In Romania, it is difficult to find funds for kibbles, there are no aid, no grants, no foundation... Many abandoned dogs die alone in the streets, in complete indifference...​

If you know of a foundation or NGO that could help Nicoleta's dogs, please invite them to contact us so that we can put them in touch.

If you represent an animal welfare foundation or NGO, please help Nicoleta's dogs, contact us and we will put you in touch!

If you would like to drop by the Remember Me Land shelter or if you would like to send kibble or a check directly, contact her via the association's Facebook page (note: direct help is your own responsibility).

10. If you make a purchase on Animal Webaction, it will be protected by our guarantees.