Dog adoption: finding our best friend in Romanian shelters
As we journey through life, we dedicate most of our time and energy to our own progress.
We tend to have our own goals and spend each day working towards them, often facing struggles and making mistakes amongst the achievements we attain.
And there is nothing wrong with seeking self-realisation. It can be our greatest drive.
But whether our fire comes from helping others or bettering ourselves, there are certain little things that happen day-to-day that make everything more special. While numerous things can grant us those moments, adopting a dog tends to enrich our mundane lives with a spark of its own.
They are bound to be there for us, during both our best and worst of times. And they will sometimes give us the odd surprise upon arrival at home (clue: it might include your furniture and shoes!).
With pure joy comes also some responsibility, and we’ve put down a few things that might give you an idea of what life with a canine friend might be like.
And just to give you a spoiler: every day won’t always be the same.
But, amongst the recommended visits to the vet and your shared daily walks, you are sure to see positive changes to your life. You will find your presence treated with the same enthusiasm and excitement every day – something that can be challenging to find in our human companions! You might even find yourself outside more, having less screen-time or even being more mindful as you take time away from the busyness of life to spend with your canine best friend.
Rescuing a dog from a shelter will most likely find you an additional friend to both confide in and share your life with, but in their eyes they have found everything they have hoped and waited so long for.
Animal shelters from Romania
Historically, stray dogs became a wide phenomenon in Romania once the communist regime forcibly moved its rural population to work in the cities.
The evictions led people into abandoning their pets. And dogs started breeding uncontrolled, gradually occupying the streets.
The society’s hard transition to democracy during the ’90s and early 00’s, took people’s eyes off the growing number of stray dogs in cities. And, when starting to face the problem, it was dealt with at first in an unethical way.
While the perception of adopting stray dogs slowly improved within the country, there is an urgent need for adoptions from abroad. Organisations and animal-lovers from the UK have been active since the first days when these neglected souls started being caught and put to sleep within weeks of being unclaimed.
Collaborating tightly with their eastern-European counterparts, animal charities find around 20,000 displaced dogs a home each year. For a first glimpse into adopting a dog through either a British or Romanian-based charity or shelter, we’ve enlisted a few that share more details:
Based in the UK
Based in Romania
Transforming challenges into joy when adopting a dog
Choosing to adopt a dog is a rewarding feat. Yet there are a few things you should consider in terms of the hound’s transition. For example, quite often they might be a bit shy and fearful initially. Usually, the first couple of days will be spent by your new pet exploring his new surroundings.
It would be great to have a few things ready upon arrival, such as:
- a designated area and bed where they can sleep,
- Some ‘complete’ food (both dry and wet) that meets their dietary requirements,
- Food and water bowls
- Some toys.
Often, not all adopted dogs are in a playful mood straightaway as they will have often had long journeys, a completely new environment and exhausting recent pasts.
As your new best friend starts to adapt, you will also start to learn about their character.
Dogs that have been abused, starved or that have had any kind of trauma can take a long time to adjust.
Some will be more fearful than others, while a small percentage of dogs may be noisier or show signs of nervous-aggression when emotionally triggered.
It is vital that if you are considering adopting a Romanian rescue that you ask the shelter about their history, their preferences and their suitability for your home. It is likely that this is something that will be done for you, as shelters generally need to check the suitability of homes before matching a dog up to an adopter, but the amount of time you can offer, children and other animals must always be considered in the process.
It can usually take six weeks or more for rescue dogs to fully show their personality and it is worth following some of the next tips.
Take it slow
Give your adopted dog some time to adjust and don’t have the expectations that they will adjust straight away
Give them space
Let your pet have some room to explore and get comfortable in their new surroundings.
Inconsistent appetite
Depending on their history, the rescued dog might have had a past of not having access to food or having to compete with other dogs.
There can also be trust issues around offered food, and if they have had unpleasant interactions with humans before, this can lead to a dulled appetite when offered food.
This can mean that they will only eat alone, will eat quickly or might not even want to touch what’s offered.
Check in with the shelter, regarding what has been normal for them and contact a vet if concerned about their weight or appetite.
Routines do wonders
Taking your best friend out to exercise, have toilet breaks and feeding him regularly at the same time, creates a routine and can allow them some stability in knowing what they can expect.
Supervise
Looking after your adopted dog’s behavioural traits will not only get you a glimpse of its personality but might keep your shoes intact – keep an eye on them as they settle in!
Expect the unexpected
The truth is, this one applies to all dog owners. Adopted or not, young or old, you are bound to find ‘surprises at home’, occasionally.
Embrace their positive change of behaviour
Depending on its specific personality and past, a hound’s adaptation to a new space varies. Be it a lucky match, there are adopted dogs that don’t need almost any time to adapt at all.
Though in the likely event that it will need its time, be available, both physically and emotionally for whenever your buddy wants to connect.
A whole new world for both of you
It’s guaranteed that your life won’t be the same after having your first pet.
And whilst this kindness, comes with dedication towards your adopted dog, the impact it could have on your life could be a lot more positive than you could have ever imagined.
Better time management through responsibility
From helping you organise your life better, to improving your habits, you will notice that a more managed schedule helps you to be more efficient and get more out of your days.
Improves health and reduces stress
Let’s just start with that recommended daily hour spent walking and you are bound to have an improvement when it comes to your health.
Going back to the pandemic days, when restrictions were at their tightest, physical socialising was a problem.
An adopted dog is bound to keep you good company and be there daily, on those weekday evenings, to help you wind down.
Friends for life
A friendship well deserved some might say. Your gesture will earn you love and loyalty that will feel like no other. Animals tend to have a deep connection with the person that saved them.
Helps you socialise with like-minded people
You will find yourself in a lot of situations where your pet could break the ice, in starting a conversation.
Depending on your personality type, socialising with people can be important to your quality of life.
A diverse stream of interactions keeps our minds active and our understanding of the world ever-growing.
In the end, the way we live and interpret our life after adopting a dog is subjective. And the array of feelings and benefits will be very diverse.
One thing we can be sure about…
Being altruistic, not expecting anything and doing good just for good’s sake offers satisfaction of its own.
Mistreated or unclaimed stray dogs are still a real problem in Romania, as in many other parts of the world.
And, while we surely can’t save every animal, saving a life is an accessible feat. It is down to our will to take action and most likely win a friend for life.
Guest article by Stefan-Alin Kovacs