Advice needed: Romanian rescue dogs

Anyway, in the end, despite the fosterer having had someone visit in person before they even applied, and the rescue knowing my application was underway, they brushed it aside to approve someone living 300 miles away. This person has never even contacted the foster home and lives in a flat with no garden right in the city centre, even though the dog is terrified of crowds and traffic. And, to top it all off, they have guinea pigs in a run, which raises massive concerns about the safety of the animals involved. On my side, I live in a house with a garden in a quiet residential area and have no other pets. We could have done several more meet-and-greets with the dog before bringing her home to ensure a smooth transition and keep a link with the fosterer, but my application wasn't even considered. To make matters worse, I'm being judged because, after being so shaken by this rejection, I don’t want to adopt another animal through this charity. Their management is clearly failing and purely bureaucratic, and there’s zero transparency regarding who is actually making the decisions. Ultimately, the fosterer is miserable, and I’m just gutted because I’d had such wonderful meetings and got my hopes up for nothing (it could have been so perfect for everyone). To cap it all, the chairwoman has the nerve to judge everyone, claiming I ‘used’ the fosterer, and stated in black and white that she knows there’s a risk to the guinea pigs but that ‘no application is risk-free’. Except there was a risk-free option: mine. The dog’s welfare and best interests clearly don’t matter to the rescue when there are multiple applicants; otherwise, they’d have waited an extra hour for me to finish my paperwork. Given the positive feedback from the fosterer and the person who interviewed me, they would have seen there was a way to make a choice that worked better for everyone. They just sent a curt text to the fosterer informing them of the adoption, telling them to ‘contact the adopter for the handover – name and phone number’. That’s it. This animal, who spent two days in a van crammed to the rafters—two per crate—only ten days ago, is now going to travel another 300 miles with a complete stranger who has never spoken a word to the fosterer and doesn't know about the dog’s issues with other animals or city life. And they have the cheek to judge me because I don't want to adopt from them anymore (heaven forbid I suggest that transporting 40 dogs over 1,200 miles in a small van with no vet on arrival, contrary to what they claim, didn't sit right with me). The choices defy all logic; there’s a blatant lack of consistency in the decisions made by God knows who, and they are in no way guided by the animal’s welfare.

I’ve just come across this thread after reading the reviews for the Remember Me rescue, with whom I’ve just had a rather unpleasant experience, and I recognise many of the same grievances here. While looking for my first small dog, I contacted the rescue on a Monday about a specific little girl who was described as sociable and was in a foster home near me. They gave me the foster carer's number the next day, and I arranged to meet them on the Saturday. It was a wonderful meeting with both the dog and the fosterer, so I sent over my adoption application that same evening. On the Sunday, I was told there were other applications in progress for her, so I asked if they operated on a first-come, first-served basis. They said no, and that they’d be back in touch. At 11 am on Monday morning, they called for an interview which also went really well. I was asked to send over some photos of my home. And then, without even waiting for my application to be finished, they told me she’d been adopted! I’m absolutely gutted that they didn’t even let me finalise my paperwork. The fosterer was disappointed too; we’d really hit it off, she’d bonded with the dog and would have loved to stay in touch. She had even told the rescue how well our meeting had gone. She was supposed to be consulted regarding the choice of adopters—it’s even in the foster contract—but this wasn't respected and she was just presented with a fait accompli. What’s even more appalling is that the dog was listed as 'cat-friendly', but the fosterer discovered she wasn't at all. For the last fortnight, it's been a nightmare; her two cats won't even come into the house anymore, which is why they didn't end up applying to adopt the dog themselves.

Hi, this charity operates under different names, including WOF. I adopted a dog and it was a total nightmare. They’re capable of the absolute worst. You get a home check from a very young person whose only experience is having a small dog for two years! They record you during the phone interview without your knowledge and then twist your words. They don’t know anything about animals; they’re just transporters. I know for a fact that several formal complaints are ongoing. The animals are traumatised and, unlike other reputable rescues, no actual rehab work is done with them. Plenty of people like you have been led on only to be rejected in the end, while others are told they’ve been accepted less than five days before the transport arrives (bringing a dog home takes preparation!). The general impression is that they’re just trying to pack the van as much as possible before leaving. It’s a shambles. Avoid them at all costs. I’m right there with you regarding the trouble they’ve put you through. You aren't the only one; many of us have grievances. They’re capable of harassment and making up crazy stories to ruin your life—they've got some real nerve. They’ve really made a name for themselves with other charities who were appalled at what they’re capable of (it’s just a group of young girls). You’re not alone, and many people like you are absolutely disgusted. It’s a shame because there are great rescues out there doing remarkable work, and the joy of being able to adopt a Romanian dog in the right conditions—they have so much to give—is really worth it. I completely disagree with you. I adopted my dog through WOF two years ago now and I’ve never come across such a professional rescue. The volunteers might be young, but they have plenty of experience. They have a very thorough vetting process to ensure the dogs go to great homes. Yes, they do reject people sometimes, but to me, that just shows that the dog’s welfare comes before simply filling up the van. The volunteers are very attentive and warn you about everything involved in taking on a Romanian rescue. Personally, I’d highly recommend this charity.

Hi, this rescue operates under various names, including WOF. I adopted a dog through them and it was a total nightmare. They are capable of the absolute worst. You get a home check from a very young person whose only experience is owning a small dog for two years! You're recorded without your knowledge during the phone interview, which they then twist. They don't know the first thing about animals; they're just focused on transporting them over. I know there are several formal complaints currently being processed. The animals are traumatised and, unlike other reputable rescues, no rehabilitation work is ever done with them. Plenty of people like you have been messed about only to be rejected in the end, while others have been given the go-ahead less than five days before the dog is due to be transported (and you need time to prepare for a new dog!). The general impression is that they just want to pack the van as full as possible before they set off. Nothing about them is professional. Avoid them at all costs. I really feel for you after everything they've put you through. You're not the only one; there are loads of us with grievances. They're capable of harassment and making up all sorts of nonsense to make your life a misery—their attitude is unbelievable. They’ve certainly made a name for themselves with other rescues, who were appalled by what they’re capable of (it’s just a group of young girls). You aren’t alone, and many people are just as disgusted as you are. It’s such a shame because there are some brilliant rescues out there doing remarkable work. Being able to adopt a Romanian dog in the right conditions is so rewarding; they have so much to give and it really is worth it.

Hi, I’m looking to adopt a rescue dog to give them a better life. I’ve happened to come across the Alina and Anta rescue – has anyone here heard of them?

(The dog we lost last summer) (who was also aggressive with people at home, but we were ready to put the work in so that she’d get better over time, even though the ad said she was "very sociable"—mind you, we know they need time!). However, managing aggression towards other dogs and risking one of them getting hurt is a serious issue. These cases are usually specified in the ads so they go to experienced owners who are fully aware of the situation and can make an informed choice! So now I’ve ended up on their page facing a Facebook lynch mob, because the rescue just put "reason for rehoming: the dog doesn't get on with the mother-in-law's dog." You can imagine how everyone jumped down my throat! (Luckily, no personal attacks via PM yet). They didn't even ask how the other dog was... So we're stuck with this little girl we’ve grown attached to, but who has to go back. It's horrible... we're not doing this lightly... it's so hard and I'm so sad for her! So that's my nightmare experience with RM. In 95% of cases, everything is fine (though I suspect many people must be struggling behind the scenes), but when it happens to you, the lovely adventure turns into a total nightmare! It’s a shame for these Romanian dogs, but honestly, with the Spanish ones (my mum adopted one) and the Caribbean rescues, lots of friends have had no issues at all! Look, I’m not trying to put you off, but be very careful, especially if you have kids, cats, or other dogs. You have to be sure. Don't do what I did and trust blindly, because then you're seen as the "bad guy"... it's much better to choose dogs in foster homes or with rescues that have proper follow-up... over there, it’s a bit of a factory; they can't know every dog's personality or test them properly! Hi. I can confirm, we’re living through a financial nightmare. The poor dog arrived skeletal and injured. Our vet doesn’t know if he’ll survive because he was attacked in the kennels in Romania. The poor lad isn't sociable with other dogs. We’re doing everything we can to help him recover, but on his adoption profile it said 31 lbs, and he arrived covered in urine with deep, oozing bite wounds and just skin and bone. We adopted through Remember Me and the charity just told us, "you adopted him, so you have to cover the vet bills," even though we already paid an adoption fee of around £260. We're going back to the vet tomorrow because he’s limping on the side with the wound, he’s itching his bum and tail, his back leg is all bruised purple, the wound on his side is still oozing a bit with a black crust, and his ears are red and raw. Very, very disappointed. We’ll do everything to save this lad who, by the way, tries to run away as soon as he’s out in our garden. After 15 days, he’s still trying to bolt and hides under the trees, so we have to take him out in the garden on a lead.

Hi everyone. I adopted a little Romanian dog back in 2017 through a rescue called Mukitza. He was an amazing dog—house-trained, obedient, and so grateful. Sadly, he passed away four years after we got him from heart failure when he was only six. We were heartbroken, so we decided to adopt another pooch through Remember France. His profile said he was 14kg (about 31 lbs), good with other dogs, etc. While we were finalizing the adoption, they called to warn us he’d been attacked in his kennel in Romania. He was being treated and they were repatriating him early as an emergency. They asked if we still wanted him, and of course, I said yes. I asked over the phone if the charity would help with the vet bills here, and they told me they’d likely contribute. When he arrived in the transport van, he’d spent three days in a crate with another dog; the poor thing was crying. He was covered in urine and was nothing but skin and bone. Once we got him home, we gave him a bath and saw the wounds—they were nasty and weeping. He was skeletal. We took him to our vet on Monday; he was put on antibiotics, and the vet told us he wasn’t sure if the dog would even make it. That evening, I emailed the rescue to ask how to handle the vet fees, as I’d paid about £250 for a skeletal dog that weighed 7.9kg (barely 17 lbs) instead of the 14kg on his profile, and he was injured to boot. The charity’s president replied saying that since I’d adopted him, the responsibility was mine. The dog had been bitten on one leg and his side as well. Two weeks have passed now and the wound has almost closed, but he’s limping; his leg is bruised blue all the way down to the pad. His side is black around the wound, which is still weeping a little. One of his ears looks bad too—red and scaly—and for the last two days, he’s been bothering his tail and bottom, even though he was wormed at the same time he started the antibiotics. He’s put on a bit of weight because we’re giving him unlimited dry food and extra meals. He’s very sweet, but it’s impossible to have him near other dogs because he growls—no doubt because of the attack. We’re heading back to the vet today, and I’m dreading the verdict. I’m so disappointed in how this charity has behaved. If, heaven forbid, this dog doesn’t make it, that’s it—I’m never adopting a rescue again. I’m just so, so let down.

I had a terrible experience with the charity "Remember France" and I’m so disappointed. I fell in love with a little dog on their site; the profile said he was 14kg (about 31 lbs) and born in 2017. I applied and had a 90-minute phone interview. After a home visit, they called to say the adoption was approved but there was an issue. The poor lad had been attacked in his kennel in Romania, but he was on antibiotics and was being brought over early as an emergency. They asked if I still wanted him. I said yes, but asked if they could help if there were vet bills. The person told me "most likely," but then mentioned they’d already had medical costs too. I didn't really see the relevance, but anyway, the day arrived. At 10 pm, the Romanian van pulled up. The dog was crying. When they handed him over, I have to say, he was covered in urine. His bite wounds were weeping and raw, and the poor thing was just skin and bone. I paid the £255 adoption fee and we put him in a travel crate. When we got home, we bathed him twice. He is lovely but terrified and so thin, and the skin around his abscesses is completely necrotic. On Monday, I took him to my vet, who gave him antibiotics and worming treatment. The vet told me he couldn't say for sure if the poor boy would even survive. Instead of the 14kg (31 lbs) stated on his profile, he only weighs 7.9kg (about 17.5 lbs). He is eating well. I messaged the rescue and the chairwoman replied saying that because I adopted him, it’s my responsibility and they won't pay any costs. He is such a sweetheart. For the last two days, he’s been limping on the side with the wounds—which are still black—and there is pus coming from one eye. We’re heading back to the vet tomorrow. I just hope he doesn’t end up with septicaemia. I forgot to mention, on his left side near his waist, a bone is sticking up under the skin. Don't talk to me about these charities that claim to "save" Romanian dogs; God, the conditions they're kept in are just horrific.

Oh, I’m not at all surprised reading your comments! I personally know four people who each got a dog from RM, and out of those four, two had to be replaced because it was such an absolute nightmare... What isn't right, though, is the way they fuel the hatred and let adopters get virtually lynched (you only have to look at their Facebook fan group, where people talk about 'killing those **** adopters', 'smashing their faces in', and so on). They just let it happen and it's really not acceptable. A friend of mine even had death threats and people trying to intimidate her, all coming from the followers! Poor thing, she just wanted to adopt a Romanian rescue instead of buying one, but it was a total disaster because the animal seemed completely barking mad! It spiralled way out of control and she was genuinely terrified for months. Honestly, stick to the Spanish or Caribbean rescues; they don’t lie to you and the charities provide much better support if there’s a problem. They’re actually decent. "A barking mad dog" – we’re talking about an animal that has likely lived through more trauma than you’ll ever experience. Show a bit of decency.