Advice needed: Romanian rescue dogs

Hello, I adopted Kira, a 10-year-old Romanian rescue, nearly three months ago. For the first month, she was sleeping 16 to 18 hours a day, but she has gradually got her mojo back! She’s perfectly fine being left alone while I pop to the shops; she doesn't bark, steal, or chew things up. She’s great with other dogs (except for those that are a bit too young and boisterous—she’ll give them a quick snap to tell them to calm down!), she’s fine with cats 🐈 and fine with chickens 🐓 too!!! In short, she’s the easiest dog I’ve ever had (and I’ve had four). The only thing we still need to work on is her recall!! She follows me and keeps a close eye on me, but when she’s decided she wants to go home, she just turns around and there’s no catching her. Luckily, I live right on the edge of the woods, so it isn’t really a problem! Even though I live in a flat, she gets an hour or two of walks every day and she's doing brilliantly. The exercise has helped her slim down, and a specialist dry food for joints has worked wonders for her rheumatism. I hope sharing my experience reassures you. All the best

We’ve had the same experience with two different rescue charities. We live here very happily with our three dogs and two cats, all of whom are rescues. Our most recent adoption, through a rescue that saves Romanian dogs, came from over there. At first, she was very "interested" in the cats, much like a hunting dog would be. With a bit of supervision, the young dog now just tries to sneak any leftovers from the cats' bowls, and our Romanian girl has really settled down around the cats, mostly just watching them from a distance now. It takes patience and love; you sometimes have to use a firm, stern voice—without ever being physical, of course—and things usually work out fine in the end. Our Romanian pup, who was so timid to begin with, has recently started getting into the car... it's a huge step forward for her. Also, deer antlers are a brilliant alternative to beef bones and they all take turns with them without any scrapping. It’s the same with the toys, even though each dog has its own little personality. I can also vouch for the great experience we had with the local RSPCA centre during our adoption. We’ve also supported (among others) the "Arche de l'Éternité" charity, which looks after a Romanian shelter. The big organisations like the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and other major animal welfare groups are also highly recommended, as they help out the smaller rescues in turn. There are also dogs needing homes from overseas rescues like "Guadeloupe Animaux", who do a fantastic job despite the tough conditions and lack of funding.

I wanted to adopt a dog through Remember Me. They wasted a month of my time with endless hoops to jump through (forms, phone interviews, photos of my home and the garden, home visits), only for my application to be rejected in the end. Apparently, I lacked the "necessary sense of responsibility". Even though the private communal grounds cover about 2.5 acres, there was a 10-metre stretch of fencing that was only 3 feet high. I kept telling her that according to the building rules, dogs must be kept on a lead at all times, but she wouldn't listen. It was the same story with the food; high-quality Spanish dry food wasn't good enough for the dog I'd picked out. When you see the quality of the kibble they're eating in the videos from Romania, it's honestly laughable! She even had a go at me because my phone interview with one of her colleagues only lasted 40 minutes (she told me, "with me, it takes an hour and a half"). And the icing on the cake: my flat window was open by about 4 inches with a safety lock to stop it opening further. I was told this was unacceptable and that the dog could jump out of the 4th-floor window! (Mind you, there’s nothing under the window the dog could even use to reach that height, and this "all-knowing" woman didn't even dare use the lift because of a phobia!!!!) I swear every word of this is true. Anyway, after all that wasted time and money spent (a crate, a harness—which also wasn't right apparently—and a pet insurance plan that wasn't "premium" enough for this person, whose name I'll keep to myself out of decency), I was told I wasn't a suitable match. **CONCLUSION**: Avoid this charity at all costs. Despite the great work they do at the shelter in Romania, they put people in charge of rehoming who are incompetent and patronising about their so-called expertise (and I'm choosing my words carefully). At least, that was my experience in Northern France. The saddest thing in all this is for the dogs. Go to the RSPCA or a local rescue instead. You'll find dedicated professionals there, you can see the animal in person, and you'll find the dog (or cat) that's right for you with some proper advice from the staff. That’s what I did, and I found a wonderful little girl!

Hi, Watch out for scams. On the other hand, we’ve adopted several dogs, the latest of whom came from Romania. You need plenty of patience because these animals have been through hell. After a few months, and depending on their individual personalities, you get back companions with real doggy characters—affectionate, cuddly, and playful. They’ve had to fight to survive. We’ve fenced off the garden with wire fencing nearly 6ft high. We went through the 'Adopt to Save' rescue (Coeur de Minou) and our dog is now well-socialised within the group. But don’t forget that animal cruelty also happens here in the UK, even if it’s more hidden and unofficial. We rescued a young hound from the RSPCA who had been used for breeding in a "well-established" shelter; she was so thin she hadn't been able to nurse her own pups. So, if you have the love and patience, you can really make a difference. Otherwise, please consider helping out financially.

I tried to adopt a dog through Remember Me. They messed me about for an entire month with endless red tape (forms, phone interviews, photos of my home and the grounds, home visits), only to reject my application in the end. Apparently, I didn't have the "necessary sense of responsibility". I live on a private residential estate with about two and a half acres of grounds, but there was a 10-metre stretch of fencing that was only 3 feet high. I kept telling her that the estate rules require dogs to be kept on a lead at all times, but she wouldn't hear a word of it. It was the same story with the dry food; apparently, high-end Spanish kibble wasn't good enough for the dog I'd chosen. It’s a total joke when you see the quality of the food they're eating in those videos from Romania! She also had a go at me because my phone interview with one of her colleagues only lasted 40 minutes ("it takes an hour and a half with me," she told me!). But the absolute best part? My 4th-floor flat window was open about 4 inches with a safety restrictor so it couldn't open any further. I was told this was "impossible" and that the dog could jump out of the window! It’s worth noting there is absolutely nothing under the window that an animal could use to climb up, and this "all-powerful" woman didn't even have the guts to take the lift because of a phobia! I swear all of this is 100% true. Anyway, after all that wasted time and the money I'd already spent (a crate, a harness—which also wasn't good enough—and a pet insurance quote that wasn't "premium" enough for this woman, whose name I'll leave out out of politeness), I was told I wasn't a suitable match. **CONCLUSION**: Avoid this charity. Even though they do brilliant work at the shelter in Romania, they’ve put rehoming in the hands of people who are incompetent, patronising, and full of their own self-importance (and I'm being kind). That was my experience in the North, anyway. The saddest thing in all of this is the dogs missing out. Go to the RSPCA or a local rescue instead; you'll find real, dedicated professionals there. You can actually meet the animal in person and find the dog (or cat) that suits you best with some decent advice from the staff. That’s what I did, and I found the most wonderful little girl!

Hi everyone, I’ve just tried to adopt a Romanian rescue dog through a rescue site called ‘Remember Me’; I had to answer a list of questions as long as my arm, only to be rejected within 7 minutes of submitting the form. Giving a final decision like that is just disrespectful. They aren’t interested in rehoming these animals at all; they’re just out to make money. To top it off, they don’t even answer the questions you actually ask about the dog in question. You’re already paying several hundred pounds to adopt, and then you have to drive hundreds of miles to collect them because, even though they use a transport van, they refuse to stop anywhere near where the dog will actually be living. Basically, avoid them—it’s no surprise they only post 5-star reviews on their own site.

Hi there. I didn't go through the "Remember Me" rescue that got quite a lot of stick in this thread, but I went with another one and it’s been nothing but positive. The backstory: I’ve always had French rescues, but my Staffie passed away in March 2021... it was a huge emotional shock after 10 years together. In June, I spotted an ad from a local shelter for a 6-month-old female Husky. I did my homework on the breed, but the shelter didn't ask for any information at all—they didn't care if I lived in a studio, a flat, a house, or a castle (and Huskies obviously need plenty of space). She’d been brought back because of "destructive behaviour" and so on. When I picked her up, she had a Hungarian pet health record with fake vaccinations (we realised when we did a titre test that she had no rabies immunity at all, even though the record said it was valid for 6 months... honestly -_-). By September, we thought since Huskies are pack animals, we could get a second one. Given that I have a 120-square-metre duplex and no garden—only a small terrace—none of the local shelters would allow me to adopt another Husky. We came across a rescue that helps dogs from Eastern Europe; I explained my situation clearly, and they advised me on which of their Northern breeds would be best suited to my lifestyle. She was supposedly fine with everyone (I saw plenty of videos of her playing with other females at the rescue). We got her in November after a questionnaire and a home visit. She gets on really well with my first girl, but she’s a bit of a resource guarder, which is understandable given her past. Outdoors, she’s quite reactive with other females (even though she was fine where she was before, both with her kennel mates and outside—I’ve seen the proof). She’s doing better now but she’s still "selective" with certain females. If you have two Huskies, you might as well have three! So, we took in a 7-year-old lad through the same rescue, who had been following the progress of the second dog I got from them. Of course, even without a garden, we do 10–15km of walking every day, plus hikes with other Northern breeds every weekend. He’d only known shelter life for 7 years, but the adaptation went really well. He was originally flagged as not being good with other males, but when we’re out, as long as they don't pester him, he doesn't do anything and just minds his own business. There haven’t been any hiccups with the two females here, even though they can be a bit annoying always wanting to play!

I’m leaving feeling sickened by the injustice and the arbitrary choices made by this rescue. My heart is heavy and I’ve lost all desire to adopt because, regardless of what the chairwoman thinks, wanting a specific dog isn’t like going on a shopping spree at Harrods. It’s important to me that the dog is small so I can take them everywhere. But there are so few small dogs, the competition is fierce, and it’s just too emotionally draining. It could have been wonderful, but the charity—who never even deigned to reply to me—decided otherwise. They’d rather put people off, lose a foster home, and take the risk of making an animal miserable or putting others (guinea pigs) in danger than reconsider a decision that was both inconsistent and rushed. Because, oh yes, apparently it was just a question of timing in the end, except I could have taken the dog in just as quickly as the chosen adopters, and without the long drive. As a final bonus, the rescue was absolutely foul to the foster family, who are people of rare generosity and kindness. They didn't deserve to be accused of wanting to "get rid of the dog as quickly as possible without giving her a single chance" (pure slander). Anyway, I’m going to give them the rating they deserve: a rescue that doesn’t respect its contracts, has no vet on-site when the transport vans arrive, and has no consideration for the fosters’ wishes or the animals' best interests. They knowingly put the safety of other pets in the home at risk, and their people skills are completely devoid of empathy or kindness, turning instantly to aggression, snap judgements, and lies.