Pioneering Romanian dog shelter welcomes new UK ruling

The new regulation announced by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) to test for Brucella canis on every dog coming into the country from abroad has been welcomed by the Speranta Shelter in Bucharest, which provides a home to around 500 rescued dogs.

With latest statistics showing more than 30,000* Romanian dogs have been given new homes in the UK, the team at Speranta said the announcement highlighted a critical issue for imported dogs.

It also reinforces the shelter’s own unique mission to tackle the stray dog crisis at its source within Romania – a country which, according to estimates from animal welfare groups, has a stray population of between 500,000 to one million dogs.**

Anca Tomescu, the internationally renowned veterinary surgeon who leads Speranta, said: “While international adoption can be a wonderful path for some dogs, our philosophy is different and when rehoming we encourage responsible ownership within Romania.

“Many of our dogs have endured significant trauma or are large breeds which thrive best in the secure, sanctuary environment we have meticulously created here. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and educate until every dog in Romania has a loving, safe place to call home.

“While we have very occasionally rehomed dogs abroad, where appropriate, our main connection to the UK is via our innovative ‘remote adoption’ programme, in which people can sponsor a specific dog, covering its food, care and medical costs, while the dog remains in its familiar sanctuary home until it gets adopted.

“Our remote adopters get a real sense of purpose and love from the bonds they are able to form with their chosen dog here at Speranta and, in turn, we do not impact on any health issues which dogs entering the UK may carry.

“With this in mind, we wholeheartedly welcome this recent announcement by Defra regarding Brucella canis testing, which is something we can carry out in minutes on-site here at Speranta.

“It is imperative that when dogs are introduced to a new country such as the UK, robust health checks are carried out and owners do in-depth research. We support this new regulation and hope it will go some way to controlling and preventing the spread of serious illnesses.

“Reputable organisations will always work with their vets to ensure they conduct thorough health checks, including for Brucella canis, however, if anyone is in any doubt we would recommend looking for shelters or organisations which are members of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH).”

Founded in 1996 by Anca’s mother, Speranta, which translates to ‘hope’ is far more than a refuge.

Its dedicated veterinary team perform on-site procedures, diagnostic tests, physiotherapy and behavioural rehabilitation for many of its residents, all of whom have been rescued from either so-called ‘kill shelters’ elsewhere in Romania or from a life on the streets as uncared for stray or homeless dogs.

For more information about Speranta Shelter, and to view the dogs available for remote adoption or to make a donation, visit www.sperantashelter.org.