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ROLDA International Adoption Program

ROLDA International Adoption Program

Romania is the country with the highest strays’ overpopulation from entire Europe, and of the highest from entire World.

Presently, the laws are not in dogs’ favor either, Romania being one of the countries where the law clearly permits the killing of healthy dogs and where there is a deadline for keeping dogs in the municipal shelters.

Romania is a less tourist country compared with Turkey, Greece or Spain; this is why this dog tragedy is less known by the public.

The big number of dogs on the streets and inside the Romanian shelters together with the lack of a local adoption culture makes international adoptions the sole salvation for thousands of dogs on death row. Sending dogs abroad is not a business, but a humane alternative which requires funding and important logistics.

ROLDA clearly defines the conditions and principles for international adoption and these refer to the adopted dog but also to the adopter because our aim is to provide a safe and healthy future to the dog in his new home, no matter where this place will be!

Experienced owner is defined the person who interact in a number of occasion with street dogs, who had at least one former stray companion in the past, who handled dogs with difficult behavior, who constantly volunteer to the local shelter and interacts regularly with dogs of different sizes and characters.

Conditions for dogs to be adopted:
  • #ROLDAdogs are healthy and sterilized (Click here to meet our Best Dogs ready for adoption);
  • Pets have all the documents required by the EU laws to travel legally (*);
  • ROLDA provides full transparency of the adoption process from its beginning to destination;
  • Pets promoted on sponsoradog.rolda.org website were selected after a careful examination of their social behavior and all are sociable and ready for a family life;
  • The adoptions are made in countries where ROLDA has established coordinators, volunteers and where a home check is possible (**).
Meet ROLDA dogs
Conditions for adopters:
  • When you choose a dog profile, from all listed here: you can send us your comments using the form request;
  • Pay attention to mandatory conditions to adopt a #roldadog before initiating the adoption procedure;
  • Complete the adoption form and be prepared for a homecheck;
  • Pay the fees related to adoption;
  • After you receive the dog, you must send regularly updates, photos, videos to ROLDA.

* Being part of EU, Romanian dogs travel legally to another EU destination only by following the EU Regulation 577/2013.

** ROLDA International Adoptions programs currently exist in Switzerland, Sweden and the UK (in some exceptionally occasions, we send dogs in other countries, except Australia, New Zeeland and Norway).

NOTE

ROLDA strongly opposites the illegal transports of dogs but these sadly exist across Europe. Public opinion is used to hear about the smuggling of breed puppies from “puppy mills” but unfortunately, many rescued dogs from southeast Europe are smuggled with illegal papers in the West.
Due to the dogs smuggling and the increased number of illegal transports across Europe (primarily in Germany) more countries show the intention of closing their borders or harden their conditions for international dog adoptions.

Ultimately, the dogs will be refused the chance to have a forever home and they will pay the price of some “rescuers”’ greed and lack of conscience.

Adoption info available only for these countries

Select one flag from above to read more about or the selected country.

US

Canada

Australia & New Zeeland

Switzerland

Sweden

UK

Norway

There is no quarantine requirement which means your dog could potentially leave ROLDA sanctuary after a minimum period of 21 days from the last vaccine. ROLDA charges an adoption fee of 250 USD per dog which includes: sterilization, vaccines and microchip, as well as all travel documents. Adopters must cover the cost of the IATA approved travel crate and flight.

Travel options:

a. Flying by cargo:

Advantage

  • Your pet can travel to you quickly, and fly at your convenience (i.e. a date and airport chosen by you).

Disadvantage

  • The cost varies depending on the size of the dog and destination, but typically ranges from 1200 USD to $2500 USD (for a large dog).

Presently, the laws are not in dogs’ favor either, Romania being one of the countries where the law clearly permits the killing of healthy dogs and where there is a deadline for keeping dogs in the municipal shelters.

b. Pick up the dog yourself

Alternatively you can come to pick up the dog yourself at Bucharest airport, where ROLDA team will deliver the dog.

c. Delivered by a friend

Or have the dog delivered by a friend, in case you know someone who travels in Romania at your convenience.

Below you can see our #roldadogs adopted in US.

Dream

Tom

Barkley

Candor

Herbie

Jack

John

Melony

There is no quarantine requirement which means your dog could potentially leave ROLDA sanctuary after a minimum period of 21 days from the last vaccine. ROLDA charges an adoption fee of 250 USD per dog which includes: sterilization, vaccines and microchip, as well as all travel documents. Adopters must cover the cost of the IATA approved travel crate and flight.

Travel options:

a. Flying by cargo:

Advantage

  • Your pet can travel to you quickly, and fly at your convenience (i.e. a date and airport chosen by you).

Disadvantage

  • The travel cost varies depending on the size of the dog, airline and destination, but typically ranges from $1500 CAD to $2600 CAD (for a large dog and remote area).

When we receive your inquiry we will be able to obtain a quote for you. Your dog will travel in a comfortable travel crate (with access to water) in a climate-controlled part of the cargo hold.

b. Pick up the dog yourself

Alternatively you can come to pick up the dog yourself at Bucharest airport, where ROLDA team will deliver the dog.

c. Delivered by a friend

Or have the dog delivered by a friend, in case you know someone who travels in Romania at your convenience.

Below you can see our #roldadogs adopted in Canada.

Pingu

Given that Romania is NOT an approved export country when it comes to importing animals into Australia and New Zealand, transporting an animal to these countries is, unfortunately, very long and expensive process, involving months in a quarantine facility. Since our dogs come from the streets, they have already been through a lot during their lifetime and we, therefore, don’t believe it would be fair to put them through this extensive process.

Please know we really appreciate that you have reached out to us and are willing to offer one of our #roldadog a home. Even though adoption is not possible to your country, there are still are many other ways that you can help the street dogs of Romania through supporting ROLDA, including donating, volunteering and raising awareness for our cause.

Please feel free to visit the links to our website below

to find out more about how you can help:

Become a sponsor for a dog

Sponsor

Help for free.

Become Ambassador

Ways to donate in Australia

Read more

Unique gifts that help animals

Shop today
Around 250,000 healthy cats and dogs are euthanized in Australian shelters each year. By making the pledge “to adopt, not buy” you can give someone a second chance at life. Even if ROLDA does not facilitate adoptions, you might want to contact one of the shelters or rescue groups listed on Pet Rescue and Rescue Network websites where you can find lists of animals available for adoption around Australia.

Our adoption program is currently on hold due to logistical reasons.

There is no quarantine requirement for Romanian dogs to be adopted in Switzerland.

Important! Please read! Together with ROLDA Suisse team, we are selecting suitable dogs to be promoted for adoption in Switzerland (The selection depends on multiple details including specific criteria for this country e.g. dogs must not have a short tail.)

The dogs available to travel in Switzerland are displayed only on the Facebook page where you can also find out the next date for dogs to travel in Switzerland.

ROLDA Suisse volunteers accompanied by Lolita visit regularly the Romanian shelters and personally meet the dogs. Please contact the Swiss team at info@roldasuisse.org to discuss adoption details.

The adoption fee includes medical procedures like: sterilisation, microchip, vaccines, dental control as well as alltravel costs.

Travel options:

– By car with a specialized company(authorized van for live animals transportation).
For additional information please click here.

Below you can see our #roldadogs adopted in Switzerland.

Didier

Gaia

Lucky

Seth

There is no quarantine requirement which means your dog could potentially leave ROLDA sanctuary after a minimum period of 21 days from the last vaccine.
The dogs selected for next transport are presented on:
– Facebook page
– You can also choose a dog from ROLDA

ROLDA Sverige volunteers accompanied by Lisa visit regularly the shelters from Romania and personally meet the dogs.

Please contact Lisa at kontakt@rolda.se to discuss adoption details. She will be happy to answer all questions you might have.
ROLDA Sverige Address: Skäggebol 880, 693 93 Svartå.

The adoption fee includes medical procedures like: sterilisation, microchip, vaccines, dental control as well as all travel and pre-insurance documents and travel costs.

Travel options:

a. By car with a specialized company (authorized van for live animals transportation)

Below you can see our #roldadogs adopted in Sweden.

Benny

Buzz

Kelly

Max

There is no quarantine requirement which means your dog could potentially leave ROLDA sanctuary after a minimum period of 21 days from the last vaccine.

ROLDA charges an adoption fee of 400 GBP per dog which includes: pet passport, microchipping, vaccinations, sterilization and snap test as well as final vet check. Adopters must cover the travel cost separately, directly to the transport company, which is due 1 week before the travel date.

Please contact Karen at rolda@rolda.org.uk to discuss adoption details. She will be happy to answer all questions you might have. We are very strict to respect exactly the adoption procedure: after the initial inquiry, please complete the adoption application and be prepared for a home check. If all goes well, you will be asked to sign an adoption contract.

For additional information please click here.

Below you can see our #roldadogs adopted in UK.

Arrow

Darie

Laika

Sofia

Starting 2015, against the EEC regulations, the import of dogs in Norway has been banned. ROLDA Gatehunder fra Romania team alerted the Norwegian authorities as well as European Commission, unfortunately in the days we live the oil industry money is more powerful than the EEC regulations because the rich nations dictate.

We were too small to change this, even if we were right saying that banning an import between EEC member states is illegal. Nothing changed over the last years: the import of dogs in Norway continues to be banned therefore, sadly, Norwegian people can’t adopt a #roldadog (or any dog)!

Please contact Karen at rolda@rolda.org.uk to discuss adoption details. She will be happy to answer all questions you might have. We are very strict to respect exactly the adoption procedure: after the initial inquiry, please complete the adoption application and be prepared for a home check. If all goes well, you will be asked to sign an adoption contract.

For additional information please click here.

Below you can see our #roldadogs adopted before 2015 in Norway.

Bingo

Gaia

Froya

Zinga

Interested to become a part of ROLDA International Adoption Team?

Please contact us at rolda@rolda.org for an interview to join our Adoption team or to help us as a foster parent (if you are located only in one of these countries: the UK, USA, Canada, Sweden).

Get in touch