We cannot let the 567 dogs at Nicoleta's shelter starve!

1. In Romania, Nicoleta is running out of kibble to feed the 567 dogs at her shelter. They will starve if no one helps!

"I have 567 dogs at the shelter… This number keeps increasing, as abandonments of, often unsterilised, dogs never cease! Besides, fall mating season is barely over: many strays had litters. We're rescuing an increasing number of dogs and puppies and we need more kibble to feed everyone!

The lack of kibble is by far the biggest difficulty I am currently facing. Tomorrow, I won’t have any kibble left! I have already been rationing the dogs’ portions for a while. Donations have decreased lately and raising prices make it even harder to buy kibble.

I feel so helpless: each month, more dogs arrive, mostly in really bad health, while the adoption rate plunges… The fundraisers I organise aren’t fruitful at all; it’s a real challenge to feed nearly 600 dogs! I’m worrying a lot for them… This campaign cannot fail!"

2. Dogs aren't eating enough: they get skin diseases and become nervous, Nicoleta fears further aggravation!

"I can only feed my dogs with very small amounts of kibble to try and stretch my low, depleting stock… It’s also very low quality food and now that winter and its extreme cold are coming soon, I’m absolutely concerned about the side effects this kibble issue has on them. They’re not eating their fill and don’t get enough nutrients, energy and calories. 

It’s already affecting their skin and general state of health: some of my dogs have demodex and rickets. On top of that, I notice that it impacts their behaviour, too: the “survival of the fittest” is starting to rule over the shelter, among the dogs. The stronger and bigger dogs eat the weaker dogs’ portions. 

Most of my dogs are very vulnerable, recovering or under treatments… They won’t make it without eating! Besides, with the rise of tensions among the dogs, you’re always just one barking away from fights over food… I can’t sleep at night when it happens. These situations put my dogs in danger, but they can be avoided if I receive this kibble delivery!"

3. Just rescued, Braileanu is sick and emaciated after suffering from starvation on the street: he won't survive without kibble!!  

"Braileanu is a six-year-old dog I just rescued at the entrance of the county… I don’t know what happened to him, but he's in terrible shape: extremely weak, underweight, dehydrated and underfed. He is absolutely frightened and has some severe skin condition as well… 

He was clearly starving on the street and even though he's now at the shelter, his survival can only be ensured if I can provide enough kibble for him! He really needs to gain weight and strength to eventually recover. When you see the way he looks, well, it speaks for itself... He will definitely not survive without kibble..."

4. Inflation and lack of donations severely impact Nicoleta's finances: she's indebted and lacks resources, she can no longer buy kibble!

"At the beginning, I had 20 dogs at the shelter and I could finance kibble with my income, having a job back then. Now, there are nearly 600 dogs and it has never been so difficult to finance kibble! I’ve been indebted to the vet and the food supplier for months…

Inflation has at least doubled each one of my expenses, like petrol, vet care or kibble… I exclusively rely on donations to run the shelter and get kibble, but they keep on dropping! People’s finances are hit hard too and it affects my shelter’s situation even more.  

Prioritising kibble over other costs is insufficient and I try to fundraise as much as possible, but it doesn’t work well… Only a few of my dogs are sponsored, so it’s far from enough to meet their needs! I lack steady kibble funding and I need this delivery to keep on feeding my dogs!"

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

"I started the shelter to make a difference in the dogs’ lives. I thought I would have a maximum of 100 dogs and that adoptions would be constant… The reality is that they’re 6 times this amount, the shelter is the biggest one in the county and the British ban has prevented most adoptions from happening.

In Romania, the number of existing shelters doesn’t match the huge number of abandoned dogs. I know my work positively impacts both dogs’ lives and the local community. I organise sterilisation campaigns to try and restrain the strays’ population… Yet, my actions aren't supported at local or State levels, at all.

The shelter is a 24/7, full time job which allows me no rest or free time... Yet I can’t describe the joy I feel when I rescue dogs! I do something that I like and that is so useful. I have 2 employees to help me at the shelter but it's not enough to take care of such a huge number of dogs and no one here wants to volunteer! I lack resources and help to care for my dogs and feed them!"

6. If this campaign succeeds, Nicoleta will not receive any money but 2400 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 kibble.

7. Overwhelmed by vet expenses and the drop in donations, Nicoleta can't cope anymore: she needs this campaign to feed her dogs!

"I collaborate with two organisations, one helps me with adoptions (about 2 or 3 dogs can leave for adoption every two months), while the other one takes care of sponsorships. Even if their help is valuable, it’s unfortunately not enough for the amount of dogs I rescue and take in. Less than 15% of my dogs are sponsored, while many can’t leave Romania for their main country of adoption: Britain. Additionally, the huge majority of my rescue dogs require vet care or surgeries that are incredibly expensive...  

I use Facebook to communicate, ask for help, collect money for the shelter’s expenses (mostly vet bills or kibble)… But it is very hard to get donations these days and my fundraisers’ goals are never reached. All the other organisations I tried to contact negatively answered me: they’re either collaborating with other shelters or lack the means to help me (or both!), considering the number of dogs under my care…. I’m desperate to find a solution to feed my dogs and this Animal Webaction campaign is my last chance!"

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 Nicoleta's 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 made under your own responsibility).

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