VALGRAYS BORDER COLLIE RESCUE

In Romania..............

This is the story of the Romanian Dogs which have touched our hearts… A few months ago I was asked if we would like to help with some dogs in Romania, due to the terrible life that they were getting…we did say that so many unwanted dogs in England needed help but once the story unfolded I could not turn a blind eye….and thought to myself why not we could may be help a couple, but how do you choose….these dogs are in holding pens, they have never seen anything but horror, no grass, no leads, some had watched fellow dog mates die of starvation and also when so hungry their will eat the others which have died….the only kindness they had were from the ladies who help them daily and people who may visit..Only their hearts can tell more about their life here. The shelter life is very hard has been for many years. During the winter, sometimes below -10-15 Celsius degrees, in summer more than 38 Celsius degrees. The dogs live in the middle of the field. This is their life , the cheapest food, always unprotected. God knows how they managed to survive and be so mild and friendly.

The photos show Glina shelter, the dwelling place of Sasha and Leda for more than 6 years, we had a video sent of one of the dogs and he completely stole my heart this was to be Sasha, then lots more dogs I saw but thought how on earth do I choose, I had many sleepless nights and in these pens were around 200 odd dogs all wanting help…pleading - looking at you for hope, it broke my heart to see some lovely dogs who were dying in front of our eyes….they would have been better to be shot then to have them like this, no future, no love just waiting….anyway eventually my heart ruled my head and I decided to try and help a couple this was to turn out to be Sasha and Leda, my family thought I was mad , my friends also thought I was mad until I showed them the full story about what I wanted to do.….

With many emails and conversations we found out how this dream of helping the dogs out in Romania would actually come true….it has never been done before from this particular holding pen/pound, so with information gathered we set the task to see how this is to be done….we have a Face book page and put lots of appeals out for help, we had to get sponsors for these dogs, they needed passports, vaccines, rabies shots, blood tests, worming etc. then they need blood test for heart worm the list was never ending I personally felt that it would never happen to save both these dogs, they would end up just dying in Romania never having a chance to be happy and loved….but anyway we kept our fingers crossed and things started to move very quickly…we got sponsors for both dogs, 30 Euros for passports each - 230 Euros for each dog to come to England, both dogs we have chosen went to vets for blood test and thankfully they both came back clear - drivers were organised - ferries booked - drivers in England were at the ready were these dogs destined to have a new life! After many phones of yes it is happening, no something has gone wrong, yes it is now going ahead - I did not ever think that it would happen……BUT if you want to do things - a pray like I did just follow this story…………….

Leda

This is Leda who was in the Romanian holding/pound pens, she had been behind fencing for most of her life, she entered this pound when she was a puppy and her life has only been there.....Leda was one of the dogs we decided to help it was

terrible to leave her friend but we knew we could not help all the dogs as this was different territory that we have ever dealt with before, we really did not know what we were letting outselves into, but we had to do something....

we also did not have the finances to do any more dogs as we only had enough

money from the sponsors to help 2 dogs this time.....Leda just wanted love, she wanted, cuddles, she craved for freedom - she wanted help, she needed us......just look at her, a lovely collie type just waiting and hoping!

Sasha

This is Sasha with his love of people and his big teddy bear eyes, melted my heart and I decided that he would be the second dog that we would try and help....he was picked up off the streets and his life then had to be a daily struggle to survive,

he was a fun dog, collie x something, loved everyone, superb with other dogs and he justed wanted so much to be loved and cuddled that the staff spent lots of time with him because he craved so much for human company...his eyes showed us so much pain

and sadness that he must have watched so much horror in this pound.

 

This is Leda at the Vets in Romania having her check up to see if she would be sound to travel to England and start a new life, both dogs had to have a thorough vetting before this dream of mine would work.

 

Sasha and Leda eventually ended up clear at the vets and they had a clean bill of health and all looked super for them to travel to England........on 7th January with passports complete and veterinary clearance both dogs started their journey to

England, we were so excited, part of me kept thinking - have I done right, will these dogs adapt in England, will they survive the journey, will we ever see them...more phone calls and emails to say that the drivers are doing well, they are up on time and would

arrive in England on Saturday ( 14.l.12)...we all waited, sleepness nights just thinking about them, kennels ready, god was I doing right....more phone calls arrived in and out of our office, still the journey was doing great, then we had a call to say that

they were doing so well, that the drivers thought that it would be Friday on arrival to England.....oh.know I cant do Friday, I cant meet them, I had cancelled everything for Saturday to meet the dogs - dread filled me....done some phone calls, and thankfully my dear

friend Ronnie took everything in her stride and took over the plans for the arrival, we were told that the dogs would be in England on the Friday evening around 7pm to Midnite no confirmed times, it was just wait.....

.then mid afternoon on Friday (13.l.12) what a day to travel, negative as I was thought this is all going to go wrong.....then we received a phone call to say both dogs had touched English Soil, they were safe and sound in Dover - we were over the moon, then I thought

OMG Ronnie was expecting them that night, with frantic calls again found Ronnie

and again she dropped everything to sort the meeting and collections of these dogs.....eventually from Dover they were delivered to Ronnies for the night and then they stayed the night and then in the morning they were being driven to Valgrays the next day....

The pictures below are of Leda and Sasha, the first time ever to stand on English Soil, it had happened, they were now going to have the love they both deserved, in time the memorys of what they have witnessed will go and one day they will have the

homes which they both deserve...but for the time being they are now happy just chilling and this story will continue over the next few days and weeks as to the progress of these 2 very special dogs from the Hell Hole of Romanian Dog Pounds to now

Happy at Valgrays who will support and care and love them and give them the best of the best.......

If you feel that you would like to help with the up keep of both these dogs we would be so grateful, or even if you may think that your home is going to be special for them, then please make contact with us.....one day the dogs which we had to leave behind

if we can find sponsors again we will most definately help more...because the joy myself - my friends - the sponsors have felt in saving these 2 special dogs we all feel we will do it again in a few months.....please watch this space as updates on both

Sasha and Leda's journey will be published...........

Update:....22nd January 2012 well Sasha and Leda arrived at Valgrays just over a week ago and although very confused they handled the hand over very well...Sasha was totally shell shocked but Leda was like a little girl in a sweet shop.

She was looking everywhere, sniffing the ground, not sure about walking on the grass, confused in how to walk on a lead, we got them both settled in our empty stable so that they can adjust and unwind....the first night they both got into a

howling contest to see who went on the longest....eventually I had to go up and say enough, please try to have a sleep (3 am) ..and from then on I have not heard a peep out of them.....they have been so very good, eating well, and slowly coming

out of their little shells....I left them to chill for a couple of days then decided to have a challenge!!!...BATH..and grooming day.

 

 

Well bath day arrived and Sasha did no think very much of it he gave me that look as if to say I dont like it...but Leda again loved it, the more she was handled and scrubbed the more she was in heaven.

Marian my dear friend helped with the washing and grooming and it took us just a short time to make them both look pretty, clean and so much more nice to smell and cuddle.

We have a cabinet dryer, so in they both were put, and as you can see they did not mind it...Leda and her devil eyes was loving all this attention - Sasha he just went along

with the pace and decided to go with the flow and 'put up' with all this posh stuff being done to him.

 

Once they were dry they had a lovely groom, and the end result was super...Leda's coat had static and as you can see she was electric, her hair stuck on anything which passed her

Sasha just took it all in...he could not understand why he had to be clean and all this nonsense going on....this dog when you get to know him you can read his eyes and he actually talks

to you with them....when he arrived he had such sadness but over the last week he has become a much brighter....after the bath they looked superb, both coats came up really soft and they

were like a couple of teddy's now to cuddle....I think Sasha deep down enjoyed the attention, but hey he is a boy, and boy dogs are tuff!!!!!..make overs are for the girls.....

 

 

Well out of the dryers and back into the stable all clean and dry, Sasha pretends to look unsure of things but he loved his new bed and so did Leda....Leda felt like a spring chicken and so wanted him

to play, she kept poking at him and pushing him to play with her and his expression was " for god sake girl" leave me alone....lol....they settled down for the night and the story will continue.....

Update...lst Feb 2012

Well both these dogs have come along way now, they are happy and content and both enjoying marrow bones, their life from the days of the Romanian Shelter have now long gone and life in England has much more to offer.

They are both such dear kind dogs and I am very fond of them both.

 

 

Love this picture below, both now out walking - as my friend said "On wards and up wards" and that is what is happening. we have heard that the Romanian Shelter is in the coldest winter possible now, and many dogs

have died in the snow conditions. Many helpers are digging the dogs out of snow drifts higher then our houses, it must be terrible - folk have also lost their lives...My thoughts go out to you all.

 

Darling Sasha the finished result of love and care, he is now really happy and loves being out and about with me and the other dogs....he is now ready for a new home and would make a super companion for

someone who is at home, he would benefit a great deal with other dogs as well...he is superb with children but not cats.

Well here they are now all happy - clean - content...they are such wonderful dogs needing now forever homes.

And talking of new homes Leda has now found a loving home in Essex with Joyce who is over the moon with her and Leda has settled very well into domestic life indoors.

When you think of all the years she had living on pallets in the Shelter...I am so happy for Leda, Valgrays gave her the chance which she would never would have had if she

had stayed in Romania. Thank you Joyce.

 

OUR NEXT MISSION

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We are now on our next mission to save the below dogs from Romania - both were bound and gaged and dumped in a Forest - we are hoping that the one on the left will soon be safe and sound

with us here at Valgrays.....thank you to the sponors who have helped save this dog....watch this space as updates will follow:-................(the one on the right is going to SOS Rescue)

if you would like to help Valgrays save these dogs and you feel you would like to help in some small way we would be very grateful....xxxx...Please donate.