While many people are staying at home and social distancing during Covid-19, for some organisations it’s a continuous fight to keep helping. And you can help a dog rescue carry on its good work from the comfort of your own home.
Pawprints to Freedom was established nearly three years ago to help provide quality care and UK homes for dogs in Romania.
CEO Rebecca Smyth explained: “I started the rescue when I was on maternity leave and since then it’s just expanded.
“I myself have two dogs from Romania and although I started Pawprints to Freedom before I went there, it was after visiting the country and seeing the conditions in the public shelters that it became my mission to help.
“Under normal circumstances we fly to Romania every couple of months.”
Pawprints to Freedom has established its own shelters in Romania and helps public shelters in the country. They also find loving homes in the UK for the dogs, as well as rehoming dogs from within the UK.
But since the Covid-19 outbreak, they have seen their donations drop.
“We have lost about £1700 a month in donations, which we understand given the circumstances, but that money feeds the dogs at one shelter for a month. Without that money they could starve.
“We are desperate for donations in this very tough time.
“Even if people could share our Facebook page, that would help raise awareness
“We also have an adopters group, which people can find through the Facebook page, which has a great community of people, especially just now.”
The rescue is also looking to recruit helpers around the country.
Kaela Robb, who lives in Aberdeen is a helper .
She said: “I have been helping with this cause since January, my two roles are a fosterer and an admin.
“My role as a foster is to teach dogs that we aren’t going to hurt them and that they are safe, provide them with love, nurturing and food. I also carry out basic training so they are prepared to go into another household as they have come from outside shelters.
“As a calls admin when people put in applications to either foster or adopt our dogs I deal with them from their application all the way through the process until they have their new arrival. Then I continue to support them even after they have their new dog with any advice for behaviour or training.”
One of the rescue’s biggest success stories is Kenna.
Rebecca explained: “She was found on New Years Eve with horrific injuries, thought to be from fireworks.
“She spent months at the vets and had to have many surgeries as she had so many broken bones. She had ran so much through fear, half of her face was missing, presumed to either be from the fireworks or brick walls that she had scraped against.
“Once she was on the mend it was then discovered she had cancer. She’s now finished her treatment and is a happy, loving dog.
“Kenna is still looking for her forever home and can travel once we are out of the other side of Covid-19.”
If you can give some of your time to help, you can email volunteers@pawprints2freedom.co.uk.
Find out more about Pawprints to Freedom at their Facebook page.
