Street Dogs in Romania: Finding Safe Havens and Hope

In Romania, an estimated 2 million street dogs roam the streets, with many living in dire conditions.

The harsh winter months are particularly challenging for these dogs, with temperatures often dropping below freezing.

Many street dogs in Romania are abandoned or lost, and without proper care, they often succumb to illnesses and injuries.

The Romanian government has implemented Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs to manage the street dog population, with some municipalities reporting a significant reduction in stray dog numbers.

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In Bucharest, dog bites were a regular occurrence until the mid-2010s due to the stray dog situation.

16,192 people were bitten by dogs in Bucharest alone in 2012, with 3,300 of those being children.

At least three deaths have occurred in Bucharest as a result of dog bites, with victims being either elderly or children.

A Japanese citizen died in 2006 after being bitten by dogs on Victory Square, with the dog that bit him later being adopted by a German family and dying of old age.

The issue of stray dogs gained international attention in 2006, and the death of the Japanese citizen was a major factor in this.

The death of a Romanian woman in 2011 was another tragic incident, with the dog that bit her being registered to an animal rights NGO.

A young boy was killed by a pack of dogs in 2011, with the dog that bit him being registered to an animal rights NGO, sparking outrage and protests.

The boy was playing with his brother when the attack occurred, and his brother had to run for help, with the grandmother arriving too late to save the boy.

Protests were organized after the boy's death, with some calling for the euthanasia of stray dogs and others opposing the law.

The then President of Romania, Traian Băsescu, urged the legislature to establish a set of laws urgently after the boy's death.

The Prime Minister of Romania stated that he would support the Stray Dogs Euthanasia Law after the incident.

The death of the young boy led to an investigation, with those found guilty facing punishment under penal law.

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In some cases, cruelty and abuse were inflicted on stray dogs, with one person admitting to filling a salami with needles and giving it to the dogs to eat.

The real horror story of captive strays can be witnessed in the many state-run shelters, where conditions breach EU animal-welfare legislation.

A video released by FOUR PAWS reveals the horrific treatment of stray dogs in these shelters.

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In Ilfov county, the authorities have started a program to monitor all dogs in the area following a fatal attack on a jogger in January 2023.

This incident highlighted the ongoing issue of stray dogs in the region surrounding Bucharest, which continues to be a problem.

The county's efforts to address the issue are a step in the right direction, given Romania's high rate of deaths due to dog attacks, which ranked fourth in Europe between 1995-2016.

Ilfov County is a region surrounding the city of Bucharest, struggling with a significant stray dog problem.

The area is plagued by an overwhelming number of stray dogs, which has led to a series of unfortunate incidents.

A particularly disturbing incident occurred in January 2023, when a woman was attacked and killed by dogs while jogging in a field near Lacul Morii, near Chiajna.

The authorities in Ilfov county have taken steps to address this issue by launching a program to monitor all dogs in the area.

Romania has one of the highest rates of deaths due to dog attacks in Europe, ranking fourth behind Hungary, Cyprus, and Finland, according to a study on fatal dog attacks conducted between 1995-2016.

Sava's Safe Haven is a family-run animal shelter near Galati in Romania, founded in 2012, with a capacity for 250 animals.

Over their 10-year history, they've helped 5000 animals in need.

Sadly, Romania still lacks adequate animal welfare regulations, which is why Sava's Safe Haven also receives regular welfare funds from Waggel to meet the needs of the Romanian dogs in their care.

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In rural South-East Romania, there's a severe lack of accessible veterinary care for dog owners, with clinics mostly focusing on farm animals.

With support from Waggel, Sava's Safe Haven is launching a Mobile Vet Clinic to provide vaccinations, microchipping, and other essential services to dogs in need.

This mobile clinic will also act as a Pet Ambulance, transferring dogs to other clinics for sterilization and major treatments.

In Romania, the government has implemented various national efforts to address the street dog population. The law 258/2013 requires municipalities to spay or neuter stray dogs, but enforcement has been inconsistent.

Many municipalities have established shelters to care for stray dogs, but overcrowding and lack of resources are common issues. Some shelters have implemented adoption programs to find homes for the dogs.

The Romanian government has also established a national database to track the number of stray dogs and monitor the effectiveness of local initiatives. However, the database is not always up-to-date or accurate.

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Some organizations, such as the Romanian Animal Rescue, are working with local authorities to implement Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs, which have been shown to be effective in reducing stray dog populations. These programs involve trapping stray dogs, spaying or neutering them, and releasing them back into their colonies.

Despite these efforts, many street dogs in Romania still suffer from neglect and abuse.

The issue of stray dogs in Bucharest has multiple parties, each bearing an interest in the issue. This complexity is a challenge that requires a multifaceted approach.

Vier Pfoten, an international animal welfare organisation, has been actively involved in lobbying for improvements in animal welfare in Romania for many years. They run CNR (capture, neuter, release) projects to manage the stray animal population in a humane and effective way.

Asociația Cuțu Cuțu, a Romanian NGO, focuses on animal rights, specifically stray dogs. They were founded in 2002 in response to the abuse stray dogs are facing.

In 2013, a stray dog bite incident that resulted in the death of a four-year-old boy brought Asociația Cuțu Cuțu back under national and international media attention.