Keskustelu

Photos March 2006  

22.3.06

"First, I was very upset lately, because one of our rabbits, Sunny died suddenly.My mother was in the garden and she saw him how he died in an instant. Dont know what happened. This morning, my other rabbit, Rila, dissapeared. I can't find him anymore.

This morning the technical director of the city hall called my mother and asked her in what phase is she with the project ( as if he didnt know from the city halls employees) and told her that they must meet tomorrow. So, tomorrow at 10 am my mother will go at the  city hall to talk. We heard ( also from the city hall's spokeman - unofficial) that they want to get us out and they want to start to improve this shelter and use it for bringing dogs here and kill them. they want to take the example of Bucharest. So, we didnt know what to do or to think the entire day.

Also, here at home, we have problems with the neighbors for the dogs across the street. Just now, I talked for about 1 hour with a gipsy, who told that that dogs ate their chickens and that they called the police and that they will bring us to trial etc etc etc. A lot of gossips among our neighbors about us, a lot of problems. Just so many misery that makes me sick so much of people.

I am glad though because we have the van, actually it is kind of instalment contract between us and the company that brought it, in order not to pay the customs taxes which are of about 1500 Euros.  So, we gave the advance( about 90-95% of the total amount ). I will send you a photo later. Thank you so much for making this possible. Today, I carried with it expired aliments from a hypermarket ( from where we had problems but now are solved), lots of cartoons of eggs. It is extremely useful.  I also carried in the back a female with her 5 puppies from this hypermarket because they couldnt keep her as there teh catchers could come and collect them.

Sorry for being so short but had been extremely stressed up by all what is happening here."

23.3.06

"As you might remembr, we brought some intimations to the city hall asking for a public response regarding what they do with the dogs they catch, how many funds from the local budges they gave for the catching service etc etc etc. At the meeting came, the tecnical director, the vicemayor and the chief in charge with the catching service. So, my mother told me that they have asked why on earth have we done those intimations as long as city hall let us stay into their shelter, as long as they have never disturbed us with anything and  when they didnt even ask for a rent or to pay for other expenses  because we use their shelter. This was their biggest problem.  

The technical director and the other two, want not to make anymore scandal in the press or ask them in intimations details about the catching service (expenses, what they do with the dogs etc etc). They said that they cant give us an answer to our last intimations, or the only answer they can give is that the city hall dont have any service of stray dogs administration. The vicemayor said that he dont want to hear any scandal in the press, not from their part or from ours. The dicussion was long, but this is the most important things. They also said that we must build our shelter, that they try to help with urging the papers etc. and they might accept a programme of neuter in the future etc."

25.3.06

"Want to tell you that this morning we went home to one of the neighbors of the land (who, some time ago, adopted a dog called Albici from the shelter) and  I am glad that he accepted to give us his written agreement. This is indeed a good news as we were afraid of this. But, we still have to talk with the other neighbor and meet him next week (he works at the city hall). So, on Monday morning I will have to go to the public notary, to see what papers the neighbors needs, and we will go together at the public notary the next day, to give his official agreement. Hopefully, we will not have problems with the other.  

Also, I have found Rila, my other rabbit. He came home, I dont know where he has been but I am so glad he came. He walks alone in the courtayrd and the dogs let him alone, and when he is too tired or he is hungry and goes in his kennel alone.

As for the plans. The plans you have seen when you were here were made by the first architect. We needed those in order to obtain the urbanism certificate from the city hall. This architect ( actually he is called a building designer, he is not an architect), didnt do anything until now. After we get this neighbors approvals, we want to go to another architect( buiding designer) that we heard of and explain what we want and see the price.

This second is too expensive and he is very stubborn, he dont accept our opinions in building the shelter, he wants to do it as he wants. So, we must see if we can get along better with the other ( third).  

I dont know if I have told you how we want the shelter to look. I try todescribe you in several words but dont know if I can be clear. We want the shelter to look exactly the one from here, the differences is that one kennel will have also a closed area (not only an open area as it has now. So, one kennel will be splitted in two parts: - closed area ( in concret-like a room - like I saw shelters abroad) will have 3 m width and 1,75 menght - open area ( like it is here) will have 3 m width and 5,25 m lenght  

So, the kennels will be pretty big, 21 m.  

We think to have 15 kennels (on one part as it is here) at the beginning, so the width of the shelter is of  3m x 15= 45 meters  

There will be also two courtyards ( like here) of 45m width and 8 m lenght,and also another big courtyard ( as the entire lenght of the shelter, in the back of it).  

In front of the shelter will also be a small courtyard and then the building, where will be the clinic, operation room, small warehouse for the medicine, a room for recuperation, a room for quaranteen, a small kitchen and a bathroom ( for wasking their laundry). In this courtyard we will also make a warehouse of wood ( as it is much cheaper) for the food.

I will try to draw you a sketch and maybe you can understand better. Please let me know if there is something you didnt figure out.  

We thought that at the beginning (after we will have all the permits) we should try to build at least the shelter as it is here, to fence it around, and put cages, that is all. We can not think of the closed kennels know as they are very expensive to build. And besides this, to make only what is very important for the building in the front, the operation room and the recuperation. We must think of what is more important and useful for the dogs.We also have to make the electricity, the wells, (as we dont have water there) and the tank (made in concret) where are collected the residues.  

As for the van, we are extremely glad that we have it for the shelter. We couldnt be happy of it at the beginning because of the stress we passed through with the city hall. But, it is great now.  

So,have to thank to three persons for making this possible, to you - as the biggest part of the van money are coming through you,  to Mrs. Nicole Fowler donation (I told you about this wonderful lady who also gave me the possibility to visit her in Switzerland for free two years ago) and to my boyfriend (who covered a part of the van cost and who through the company - as I told you in a last email - exempted us from paying all the expenses for customs, registration and the rest of it). Thank you so much, you will see the photo, the little van is so good for the needs of the shelter."

27.3.06

"Just a short email now. I have just entered home from early in the morning. I was at the city hall, at the public notary etc and I was very upset. I dont remember if I told you about the fact that we have to change the urbanism certificate, today I had the confirmation on this. So now,we have to wait until next month for this, at the end. Also, it seems that we cant have the official neighbors agreement until we have the u.c., but I will try to see what we can do about this. This romanian laws are so stupid, such a waste of time and papers over papers and have to go to thousands of institutions for one paper etc etc and no one can give you a good advice."  

29.3.06

"Yesterday morning, my mother went again tot he city hall. If before the mayor  put the technical director in charge with stray dogs problem - so in all last years he was the contact person for this problem from the city hall - and he was a very impulsive man, screaming all the time and we never couldnt get alone well, now he named the vicemayor to handle stray dogs problem. I do remember that at the last meeting, before reaching to a so called agreement - the vicemayor told that if we dont want to free their shelter, they will put their vet to enter, to make the inventory and to start killing the dogs. Of course that my mother got angry and she told that he probbaly figures out what this means, that if he has this kind of ideas, of euthanising ,the entire world, the international public opinion will be with their eyes on him, and , would be impossible to do this.  

So, yesterday, the vicemayor said that they want to co-operate with us, to sign a contract of Neuter and Return. He said that his opinion is to neuter and return all the young, healthy dogs with people who take care of them, feed them, and assume the responsability for them, and the other ( the old one, the sick one, to be kept into our shelter. Again, this mean to build our shelyer as soon as possible. So, he gave a dead line to my mother, that until 5th of April we must present them an offer, a contract of Neuter and Return. The problem is that Tg-Jiu is a big city, so we must find an organizations with whom we can co-operate on this project. So, my mother asked help from Vier Pfoten and also Robert Smith (in co-operation with his foundation FPCC we have also the N&R contracts from the other 5 towns from Gorj county) if he wants to sign together with us this contract. If we want this contract to be signed, we must ask as few obligations, payment as possible for the city hall.  

It is so important that the city hall seems willing to co-operate with us, and stop killing dogs, it is a big chance and we must do all it is possible not to loose this time also.  

If this ocntract would be signed, Gorj would be the only county from Romania covered in totality by the N&R programme.

Alone, we cant do this, this kind of programme, that is why the only we could ask was R. Smith so we are now waiting for his answer. If he refuses, or asks too much from the city hall, this contract will not be accepted and we will start all over again the fight with the authorities."