WOW LOOK AT STUNNING BELLA – A SPECIAL GIRL LOOKING FOR A PATIENT FOREVER HOME 📍 In Foster in Bideford, North Devon, UK. NOW ADOPTED X
Female | DOB 05/2022 | Medium Size (22kg, 32” to top of head) Bella is a sensitive and gentle soul who was found abandoned as a puppy by the roadside.
Now in foster care in North Devon, she’s slowly learning to trust and experience the world at her own pace.
She’s built a strong bond with her fosterer and is showing more confidence each day.
Bella enjoys her walks and is good on a lead, learning key commands.
She’s very food-motivated, which helps her training and makes her eager to please.
Bella is still nervous around new people, especially those who raise their voices or approach too quickly. She responds best to calm energy and gentle guidance. Once she trusts you, she adores a brush and has started coming back on recall when out in safe spaces.
She doesn’t like eye contact or being touched on her front paw, but she loves a scratch under the chin and brushing her back. Her crate is her sanctuary, and she finds comfort there when overwhelmed.
Riding in the car is new for her—she’s fine once in, but needs support getting in and out. With time and reassurance, this will improve.
Bella’s Ideal Home: ✔️ Quiet, calm home ✔️ Adult-only or children 14+ ✔️ Ideally pet-free, or with a very calm, gentle dog ✔️ Patient, experienced adopter willing to go at her pace ✔️
Access to secure outdoor space for decompression
Bella is fully vaccinated, neutered, flea/worm treated, and comes with full RBU (Rescue Back-Up) from the Pennypaws team.
Could you be the one to show Bella that life can be safe and full of love?
To find out more about adopting or fostering Bella, please contact Gill Jenness at Pennypaws Rescue at admin@pennypawsrescue.org.uk or call 07795 803434.
Male | DOB 12/10/2023 | Neutered | 23kg | Medium Size
Meet Oreo – a sweet, playful boy with a soft heart and a soft centre (just like his name suggests!). Rescued from a life on a chain, Oreo is now thriving in foster and discovering the joys of being loved and free.
Though he can be a little wary of new people at first, he’s incredibly affectionate once he feels safe. He loves his toys—especially footballs!—and enjoys nothing more than a good play session with other dogs. Oreo also walks beautifully on a lead and is very food motivated, which makes him a dream to train and is responding very quickly an intelligent boy
🏡 Oreo’s Ideal Home:
✔️ A patient, loving home
✔️ Dog-friendly home – he enjoys canine company
✔️ Kids 10+
✔️ Can be cat tested upon request
✔️ Access to a garden for playtime would be ideal
Oreo is neutered, fully vaccinated, and blood tested.
He comes with full RBU (Rescue Backup) from Pennypaws Rescue and a homecheck will be required.
To find out more about adopting or fostering Oreo, please contact Gill Jenness at Pennypaws Rescue at admin@pennypawsrescue.org.uk or call 07795 803434.
They’ve crossed countries, escaped harsh beginnings, and found a forever home with you. Now summer’s here—and with it comes the need for special care, especially for our Romanian rescue dogs still learning what it means to be safe, loved, and understood.
From sweltering streets in Bucharest to shaded barns in rural Transylvania, Romanian dogs come with varied histories—and few of them include chasing tennis balls in a British garden or snoozing under a parasol. With a little knowledge and a lot of patience, you can help your new companion adjust to summer life without stress.
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Meet Me in the Middle: When Summer Heat Meets Street Savvy
In Romania, summers can reach highs of 35°C—but for dogs on the streets or in shelters, survival means sticking to shade, staying still, and conserving energy.
“It’s important to remember that just because they’re from a hot country doesn’t mean they’re used to exercise in the heat,” says Louise Byrne, a UK-based Romanian rescue fosterer and trainer. “They’ve often spent summers huddled under old cars or shelter overhangs, not strolling in open fields at midday.”
Here in the UK, temperatures over 20°C can be deceptively tough—especially with higher humidity and unfamiliar environments. The excitement of a new home may mask early signs of heat stress, so proactive care is essential.
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Top 10 Summer Care Tips for Romanian Rescues 1. Hydration Stations Leave water bowls in multiple rooms, and try adding bone broth ice cubes for extra encouragement. 2. Cooling Mats & Damp Towels Place these in shady corners or crate areas—many dogs gravitate to tiles or lino flooring on hot days. 3. Garden Time Only (For Now) Use a secure garden to offer gentle, self-paced exploration. Avoid dragging a nervous dog into unfamiliar territory too soon. 4. Suncream for Pups? Yes! Dogs with light noses or exposed skin (especially short-coated breeds like the Romanian Lurcher or whippet crosses) may need pet-safe sunblock on ears and noses. 5. Frozen Fun Try stuffing a Kong with soaked kibble, yoghurt, or meat paste and freezing it. It keeps them cool, mentally enriched, and calm. 6. Paws Off Pavement If you can’t hold your palm on the ground for 7 seconds, it’s too hot for a dog’s paws. 7. Cooling Vests & Bandanas These soakable wearables can make a huge difference, especially on vet trips or short toileting walks. 8. Use Fans Safely Keep air moving in their chill zones, but don’t aim it directly—some rescues are startled by strong airflow. 9. No Car Journeys Unless Essential Even with windows open, the heat inside a car can escalate dangerously within minutes. 10. Watch for Heatstroke Early signs include excessive panting, glazed eyes, staggering, or vomiting. Move them to shade, offer water, and call your vet immediately.
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The Two-Week Rule: Why Waiting is the Best Walk
“People are desperate to show their new dog the world,” says Ana Maria Stoica, a Romanian rescuer based in Târgoviște. “But for the dog, the world is already too big. What they need is safety, not scenery.”
That’s why the Two-Week Shutdown is gold standard practice. It’s not punishment—it’s peace.
Why wait two weeks before walks? • Your dog is likely exhausted from travel (which can take 3–4 days in vans). • They’ve just been uprooted from their language, people, smells, and rhythms. • Their nervous system needs time to regulate and attach to you as a safe presence.
Instead, focus on: • Quiet bonding time indoors • Building predictable routines (meal times, toilet trips) • Low-pressure affection and gentle enrichment
“We had a dog who didn’t wag her tail for three weeks,” says rescue adopter Emily Crane. “But by week four, she was zooming around the garden like she’d always been here. Giving her that calm time changed everything.”
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Breed Watch: Summer Needs by Coat Type
Romanian rescue dogs often come in every shape and size, but here are a few common types and how summer may affect them: • Shepherd Mixes (Carpathian, Mioritic, German-type): Often have thick undercoats. Brush gently but regularly to avoid overheating and matting. • Short-Haired Lurcher & Whippet Crosses: Prone to sunburn and don’t tolerate long sun exposure—shade is essential. • Scruffy Terriers & Medium Mutts: Often have wire coats that trap heat; consider a light summer trim (but never shave to the skin—it ruins coat insulation).
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Fun Facts About Romanian Dogs in Summer • Some street dogs instinctively dig shallow ground nests to stay cool in hot soil—a behaviour they may continue in your garden! • The name “Grivei” is Romania’s version of “Fido”— a common name for dogs across villages. • Rescue dogs often nap heavily during their first month—this isn’t laziness; it’s nervous system recovery from trauma and overstimulation.
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Final Words: Patience is Power
Your Romanian rescue has already walked an incredible path to reach you. They may not be ready for beach trips, festivals, or café outings just yet—but in time, they will become your summer shadow, your hiking buddy, your sun-watching companion.
“The biggest mistake we see is people wanting too much too soon,” says Louise Byrne. “But those who slow down, observe, and honour the dog’s pace? They’re the ones who build something unshakable.”
So pull out the paddling pool. Offer a frozen treat. Sit beside your new best friend in the shade.
We are urgently trying to save 14 dogs and some puppies from a brutal death in the Golesti kill shelter in Romania NEXT WEEK.
There is the lovely German Shepherd Dog Mum with pups and 13 smaller friendly ones. We can’t leave them to be killed in a horrific way, so we want to try and get them out of there and to a safe caring private shelter next week, until UK homes are found. Please try and support us.
To make this happen we need our wonderful supporters help to fund their vaccinations, blood tests, flea & worm treatments and any veterinary treatment likely to be needed due to the horrendous conditions they are being kept in at Golesti Kill Shelter, 💔
We will need to pay €700 every month for their foster (€50 each) and on top of this we also need to fund their vaccinations, bloods, flea and worm treatments @ approx €100 each. So…we desperately need help financially – can you help or can you please share the video and story please?
How you can donate
We are currently offering a great prize in our Facebook fundraising group – please see link below:
Bath 12K Three Hill Challenge Update – RUN COMPLETED and LIVE STREAMED SATURDAY 10th MAY 2025.
Thank you so much to all the amazing supporters – nearly £1300 already raised to help the dogs and specifically old boy Lenny. Can we raise a bit more…
If you missed it you can watch it all here…!
or watch a few short clips (check out the one with about 70 bullocks joining in)
We lost the connection towards the end up on third hill – Lansdown.
Image by the artist LCLenny drawn by the artist LC
Pennypaws volunteer Jonathan Slatter is doing a sponsored run in Bath on the 10th May 2025, to try and raise money for Pennypaws Rescue, so they can help more dogs suffering in the horrific kill shelters in Romania.
Any money raised will go towards transport costs to get some of the already rescued dogs to UK foster homes, and specifically a lovely old boy called Lenny. At 10-11 years old, Lenny is too old to be stuck in a boisterous, noisy & scary shelter. Can we get him some love, warmth and comfort for his old age please?
The sponsored run is just over 12k long and goes west out of Bath and up to the top of Solsbuy Hill – (made famous by Peter Gabriel), from there we drop down to the valley beyond and up the steep rise to the top of Charmy Down. Then it’s a down and across the A46 and drop right down to Swainswick, up to the Village of Wooley and then the steepest longest climb up to the top of Lansdown Hill to the north of the city. From there it is all downhill back to Bath.
If you can help him raise a few pounds for Pennypaws Rescue they will use every penny pf that money to help more suffering dogs. Pennypaws is only run by UNPAID VOLUNTEERS so every penny goes to help the dogs.
If you wish to donate with Paypal you can do so here https://pennypawsrescue.org.uk/donate Pennypaws Rescue is a UK Registered Charity No 1200959 Thanks so much if you can spare anything or are able to share this page and video. x
Coming up a year ago we reached out to Penny Paws looking to adopt a dog. I have always rehomed rescue dogs however this was our first experience getting a dog from outside of the United Kingdom.
Gill was very helpful sending pictures and information on dogs which met our criteria. Gill advised Agatha had been in a shelter, in Romania for many years until Gill and her colleague found her. After deciding on Agatha Penny Paws organised everything and under 3 weeks later Agatha arrived.
She came with all the required paperwork and in humane transport. I have adopted a number dogs from the UK over the years and honestly the process was easier with Penny Paws than any of the other rescue organisations.
We learnt that a ‘Romie’ has certain qualities which we adore. Agatha is so grateful for all she gets, she’s is always happy and cherishs home comforts. Agatha is in bliss snuggled between her owners and she is also super intelligent with tons of fun character.
We had a dog when we got Agatha, she is gentle and lovely companion to him. We can’t thank Gill and her team enough. Adopt a Romania from Pennypaws, you won’t regret it. These dogs fill your life with joy!
“Why bring dogs over from Romania when there are already so many dogs in UK shelters needing homes?”
It’s a valid question, and one that deserves a clear and comprehensive answer. At PennyPaws, we are committed to helping dogs wherever they are in need. While UK rescue centres are indeed struggling, the situation for dogs in Romania—and many other countries—is far more dire. Below, we’ll explain why international rescue is so important, how it benefits both foreign and UK dogs, and why we believe saving lives should never be limited by borders.
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1. The Reality for Dogs in Romania
While stray dog issues exist worldwide, Romania has one of the most severe crises. There are an estimated 600,000+ stray dogs in the country, and they face levels of suffering that most UK dogs—sheltered or not—will never experience.
Extreme Neglect and Abuse • Many Romanian dogs are born on the streets, living in dangerous conditions with no access to food, water, or shelter. • Poisoning, beating, and shooting strays is common practice, either by individuals or government-hired dog catchers. • Dogs are frequently hit by cars and left to suffer with horrific injuries. • Puppies are often abandoned in forests, rivers, or bins, left to die.
A dog in a shelter
The Kill Shelter Crisis
Romania has a network of kill shelters, known for their appalling conditions: • Dogs are caught by violent dog catchers who use metal nooses to drag them into vans, often breaking bones or causing severe injury. • Shelters are severely overcrowded—dogs are left starving, fighting for scraps, and often dying of disease or untreated wounds. • Many shelters have no veterinary care. If a dog gets sick or injured, they are simply left to die. • The euthanasia laws allow shelters to kill dogs after just 14 days—and often, this is done in brutal ways, including beatings or poisoning.
These dogs are not just “waiting for homes”—they are fighting for their lives in a system where suffering is the norm.
2. “But What About UK Dogs?”
It’s true that UK rescues are overwhelmed, but the situation is not the same as in Romania.
UK Dogs Are Safe, Romanian Dogs Are Not • In the UK, a dog in a shelter will receive food, veterinary care, and some level of protection. • No UK dog will legally be starved, beaten, or killed in inhumane ways. • In Romania, a dog left in a kill shelter has a high chance of dying a horrific death.
Different Causes of the Crisis
The UK dog shelter crisis is largely due to overbreeding, irresponsible ownership, and cost-of-living pressures. Many UK dogs are surrendered because owners can no longer afford them or because they did not consider the long-term commitment.
In Romania, the problem is driven by government policies, mass stray populations, and a lack of education about neutering. Even if every single UK rescue dog found a home tomorrow, Romanian dogs would still be suffering in the same horrific conditions.
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3. “Shouldn’t We Fix the Problem at the Root?”
Yes—and that’s why international rescues don’t just rehome dogs; they also run spay and neuter campaigns, education programmes, and advocacy efforts to tackle the crisis long-term.
Neutering Programmes
Many rescues, including ours, invest in neutering as a key part of their mission. By preventing unwanted litters, we reduce the number of stray dogs suffering in the future.
Education and Outreach
We work with local communities to promote responsible pet ownership, teaching people why neutering, proper care, and ethical treatment of animals is essential.
Lobbying for Change
Some organisations fight for better laws to protect Romanian dogs from cruelty and improve shelter conditions. However, these changes take time. While we work towards them, we cannot ignore the dogs suffering right now.
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4. The Myth That Romanian Dogs “Take Homes” from UK Dogs
There is a misconception that rescuing international dogs means UK dogs lose out on homes. However, the reality is more complex:
Different Adopters, Different Choices • Many adopters specifically choose to adopt from abroad because they want to help dogs in the most desperate situations. • If international rescue wasn’t an option, these adopters would not necessarily adopt a UK dog instead. • Some people feel more drawn to street dogs, as they are often highly adaptable, intelligent, and grateful for a second chance.
Romanian Dogs Can Be Easier to Integrate
Unlike UK rescue dogs, who may have experienced abuse in a home setting, many Romanian dogs: • Have never been in a home before, meaning they don’t carry pre-existing trauma related to domestic life. • Are used to surviving on their own, making them resilient and adaptable. • Often integrate well into multi-dog households because they are accustomed to pack life.
Rescue Creates More Space
By adopting from abroad, we help free up spaces in UK foster homes and kennels, allowing them to take in more UK dogs in need.
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5. Rescue Shouldn’t Have Borders
At PennyPaws, we believe that a life is a life, regardless of where a dog happens to be born. • If a dog is suffering, and we can help, why wouldn’t we? • We don’t limit our compassion based on nationality—just as people support humanitarian efforts worldwide, we extend that same kindness to animals.
Rescuing a Romanian dog does not mean we don’t care about UK dogs. It means we refuse to ignore suffering, no matter where it happens.
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Final Thoughts
The UK rescue crisis is real—but it is not a reason to turn our backs on dogs facing unimaginable cruelty elsewhere. While UK dogs may be waiting for homes, Romanian dogs are waiting to survive.
Instead of asking, “Why help Romanian dogs?” we ask:
“If we have the means to save a life, why wouldn’t we?”
At PennyPaws, we will continue to help dogs wherever they need us most—because rescue knows no borders.
Pennypaws rescued dogs: Kobie and Bear
Article by Peter Loy, Greenbank Animal Sanctuary. March 2025
March Mission Romania: Final Day Our time here has come to an end, and tomorrow we head home.
Leaving the dogs behind is always heartbreaking, but we take comfort in knowing we’ve helped build their confidence and trust in people—small but vital steps toward their future.
We’ve fed so many dogs over the past week, met incredible rescuers doing everything they can, and spent time with the new arrivals from Mihăilești public shelter. Many of them are absolutely terrified, still trying to decompress from the horrors they’ve endured. They need time, patience, and, most importantly, foster and adoptive homes to truly heal. This has been an emotional, exhausting, but essential trip.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us—now we need your help more than ever. Please share, foster, adopt—these dogs deserve a chance.
Thank you to every single person who supports us—you make this possible. We’ll keep you updated as we go.
Please support us if you can – or share the work we do to save the dogs, thank you x
Today has been a deeply emotional day as we spent time feeding strays alongside a wonderful local lady who cares for 50 stray dogs every single day. Her dedication is incredible, but the sheer number of dogs in need is overwhelming.
We also visited her small shelter, where she does everything she can with very little, and met another amazing woman who has opened her home to take in as many strays as possible. Seeing their love and commitment is inspiring, but the reality is heartbreaking—so many puppies and adult dogs living in desperate conditions, waiting for a chance at a better life.
It’s hard to witness, but it pushes us to keep going. Every meal, every bit of care, every rescue—it all matters. Please keep supporting and sharing. These dogs need us now more than ever.
Thank you to every single person who supports us—you make this possible. We’ll keep you updated as we go. Please support us if you can – or share the work we do to save the dogs, thank you x https://pennypawsrescue.org.uk/donate/ https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/pennypaws
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