Sava's Safe Haven

Sava's Safe Haven is a non-govermental, non-profit Animal Welfare association in Romania founded in 2012 by Oana and her family, in order to help end the suffering of dozens of animals from streets. Sava's Safe Haven has brought essential care and safety to the stray and community animals especially in the poorest rural areas in southeastern Romania. We are a rescue shelter based in Romania looking after dogs (and some cats) of all shapes and sizes. In 2012, the Sava family, led by Oana Sava fundraised to buy a piece of land near Galati in Romania and began constructing the shelter with their bare hands. Initially, it was basic, offering rudimentary shelter from the harsh Romanian weather, but over the last 8 years, and following a huge amount of hard work the shelter has grown to be home to over 300 dogs and cats, adding facilities such as a playground, a veterinary area, recovery and quarantine rooms. Work is ongoing with the shelter constantly evolving and improving thanks to donations. Sadly there is a huge number of street dogs across Romania, some born there, others abandoned, but all with a story to tell of having been let down by people and the animal welfare system in Romania. Sava's Safe Haven is a registered charity, working closely with the local community to offer education on how to care for their animals and basic medical care including spay and neuter surgery for those who cannot afford it. We also rehome animals across Europe, focusing mainly on Germany and the UK as we have established local teams of volunteers in these countries who help us. There are also many dogs who cannot be rehomed, and who will live out their days at the shelter where Oana ensures they are safe and cared for. As you can imagine the cost of food, veterinary care, beds, and supplies along with shelter maintenance is very high. With no support from authorities or companies, the shelter relies solely on public donations to survive.