After reading our recent article about new Government rules for dogs entering the UK, a Romanian animal shelter has been in touch to share its own perspective, and a message of hope for rescue dogs overseas.
The team from Speranța Shelter in Bucharest contacted this newspaper after seeing our coverage of Defra’s new requirement that all dogs imported into the UK must now be tested for Brucella canis, a rare disease which can spread to humans and other animals.
While the new ruling has caused debate among animal lovers, the shelter’s founder, veterinary surgeon Dr. Anca Tomescu, said her organisation welcomed the move and hoped it would lead to more responsible rehoming practices.
Readers might be interested to learn that Speranța, which means “hope” in Romanian, is one of the country’s largest and most respected animal sanctuaries, caring for around 500 rescued dogs. Rather than sending animals abroad, the shelter focuses on improving conditions for strays within Romania itself, and offers UK supporters the chance to sponsor a dog remotely.
Domnița, a visually impaired dog and her six puppies, were found earlier this year at the garbage dump of a town near Bucharest.Dr. Tomescu said:
“While international adoption can be a wonderful path for some dogs, our philosophy is different and when rehoming we encourage responsible ownership within Romania.
“Many of our dogs have endured significant trauma or are large breeds which thrive best in the secure, sanctuary environment we have meticulously created here. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and educate until every dog in Romania has a loving, safe place to call home.”
The shelter’s ethos mirrors Defra’s message that strong health checks and responsible processes are vital when dogs are brought into the UK.
While reports suggest more than 30,000 Romanian dogs have been given homes in Britain in recent years, the team at Speranța believe the focus should also be on tackling the root causes of the stray dog crisis in Romania, a country with an estimated half a million to one million stray dogs.
Rather than sending dogs abroad, Speranța encourages “remote adoptions,” allowing UK supporters to sponsor a specific dog and fund its care while it remains safely in its familiar surroundings.
“Our remote adopters get a real sense of purpose and love from the bonds they form with their chosen dog,” said Dr. Tomescu. “In turn, we avoid adding to the risks of importing diseases which dogs entering the UK may carry.”
She added that the team at Speranța can test for Brucella canis in minutes on-site, and fully supports Defra’s move to make testing mandatory.
“It is imperative that when dogs are introduced to a new country such as the UK, robust health checks are carried out and owners do in-depth research,” she said. “We support this new regulation and hope it will go some way to controlling and preventing the spread of serious illnesses.”
Speranța provides not just refuge, but full veterinary and rehabilitation care. Its team performs on-site surgical procedures, diagnostic tests, physiotherapy and behavioural rehabilitation for dogs rescued from kill shelters or found abandoned on the streets.
One example is Domnița (meaning “Lady”), a dog who was almost blind when she and her six puppies were discovered living among piles of waste at a refuse site near Bucharest earlier this year.
“The Speranța team intervened just in time for Domnița and her puppies,” said Dr. Tomescu. “We were able to save their lives and preserve Domnița’s remaining eyesight. After providing medical care, both Domnița and her puppies were put up for adoption. The puppies quickly found families, and Domnița also captured the heart of a Romanian family. She was adopted and now happily runs in the yard with the other dog in the family. Their story inspires us to continue our national sterilisation campaigns, aimed at preventing such heartbreaking situations.”
Domnița and her puppies were cared for at Speranta Shelter following their rescue. They have all now gone on to be adopted into loving, responsible homes.Over the years, Speranța has found permanent homes for hundreds of dogs and carried out more than 100,000 sterilisation procedures across Romania to reduce the stray population.
“We know that to really impact the stray dog population it is not an overnight solution but a long-term project,” Dr. Tomescu added.
“By focusing on high-quality sanctuary care, veterinary excellence, preventative education and treatment until we find permanent homes for them, we at Speranța feel as though we are truly doing things differently to become a home of hope for Romania’s dogs.”
For more information about Speranța Shelter, or to view dogs available for remote adoption, visit www.sperantashelter.org.
Domnita with her loving new owner Cătălin.All photos copyright of Speranța Shelter 2025
