16.1.2007

Hi,

New Year has started with new challenges and hopes. Lets do our best that also Pro Animals Finland and Romania can continue the success they have already achieved together.

I got an e-mail from Patricia who sent me regards of her mother Carmena to us. City Hall of Tg-Jiu has started to build temporary building near the current shelter to take place for the Neuter & Release programme.

The dogs of the current shelter stays there as until now but to the expanded part of the shelter will be brought stray dogs for neuterings. After recovering healthy ones will be released but the aggressive, old and sick ones will be kept in the shelter and their destony decided by time being.

The City Hall of Tg-Jiu will cover the costs of temporary building and some other costs but mainly Pro Animals Romania will be the charge of the costs of Neuter & Release programme. In maximum of one month they will have to employ personal needed for running the programme and to provide the equipment needed.

During past weeks Carmena and Patricia have met different officials from the City Hall who will represent the institution in this Neuter & Release contract. They have met Police representative, with the vicemayor, with the Sanitary Veterinary official in order to sign a protocol. Through this protocol  they hope to limit/stop abandons and punishment for those who abandon dogs, but also the obligate inhabitants to neuter their dogs (excluding the pure breed ones).

Of course Carmena and Patricia have big worries concerning the new shelter they should build until the end of 2008. They have put a lot of hopes to PAFi and it's supporters - as we have set up the campaign to collect funds for the new shelter.

It is very hard sometimes to send messages to Carmena and Patricia because we do not have quick and easy solution to sort out all those projects we have together. We can just assure them that we do not leave them alone and we try to help them the best we can.

Education programme will start in Tg-Jiu soon. The set of 150 education booklets have been printed in Finland and sent to Pro Animals Romania. Those booklets look good and we have to thank Patricia because she gave a lot of time and efforts to make them look the best ones.

Therapy dog programme continues and old people are so attached to the little dogs that they just can't wait the next visit.

The weather has been sunny and quite warm in Tg-Jiu. That is very good because we already know how hard and difficult it is work in the shelter when there is plenty of snow, harsh wind and frost.

With best regards,
Kiia