In 2013, the Romanian government passed a law that gave the global animal welfare community goosebumps. In the country, the extermination of all unwanted dogs was essentially legalized, and the images that made the rounds of the world at the time were horrific, with dogs screaming as paints were picked up from the street dragging them as if they were sacks, to be transported to dirty and dark municipal kennels, where they would spend a couple of weeks of hell until they were killed.
A huge global campaign was launched at the time to stop this practice, and save as many animals as possible. From the hell of Romania we had brought about 80 dogs at the time - some of them by us, and some by volunteers who had witnessed the horrors in which these creatures lived.
Ten years later, the only dog still with us is Brown. It is an animal that lived through hell, that came incredibly scared and psychologically damaged, and that found peace, respect and care in the shelter. He remained a dog hesitant and fearful, and we never pushed him. We let him be himself, and just exist among us.
Brown has been fostered with our trainer who had the knowledge to show him in the right way that there is a world outside the shelter. And our sweet boy, despite his fears, slowly learned at this age to live in a house, go out on a leash, and cooperate. This may one day lead him to a forever home, where he will spend his last years as they deserve. Maybe not. We must try.
