THE LAIKA FUND FOR STREET DOGS

A non profit - no borders organization, dedicated to helping the world's strays - one dog at a time.

***FOSTERS NEEDED*** The Laika Fund is receiving many requests to help dogs, and we would like to assist with as many as possible, but in addition to funds, we need more fosters! If you live in Ontario, preferably within a 3 hour radius of Toronto airport, and can open your home to a dog in temporary need, please email us at:  [email protected]
Fostering can be challenging, particularly with former street dogs, but is also extremely rewarding, and saves lives! We have several puppies and older dogs coming in the next few months, and unless adopted prior to arrival, they need a safe place to wait for that loving home they deserve.

January 2014

The year has started off with a very busy schedule for The Laika Fund.

Kosie, Bella and Isabelle have arrived in Canada from Kosovo, and are in foster. Bella will be seeing our vet for x - rays and an assessment, and will then be fitted for a cart. Adorable little 3 legged Izzy is available for adoption, as Kosie will be after spaying since it could not be done while she was in Kosovo.

The Puppy Rescue Mission, a wonderful American organization which helps service men and women rescue dogs and cats they have befriended while on deployment, very kindly covered Kosie's travel expenses, as she was being cared for on a NATO base by a US soldier who was posted to another country and could not take her. We are VERY grateful for their assistance.

Emma is now officially adopted, and her adopter is so anxious to have her home, that she has contributed the remainder of the finds needed for her, Andrew and Cora, so travel plans for these three have begun.

We have added several new fundraiser dogs from Romania, and will shortly be adding several more from Kosovo, and have two adopter sponsored dogs waiting to fly. We have also been approached by someone in Thailand to help place a dog from Phuket who has found herself without a home. We have a flight volunteer heading over in a few weeks, who will accompany her to Toronto.

December 31, 2013 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It has been another stressful year for dog rescuers all over the world. Our involvement with Romanian dogs in particular, has taught me much, and has been my education to the plight of small rescue organizations/individuals, in places where there are few resources, and little support. I have been blessed to meet and work with some truly amazing and dedicated people, whose passion for helping dogs (and cats) against all adversity, is nothing short of inspirational. The "With Love From Romania" facebook page, began with an effort to help two particular groups of dogs in danger, and from it came The Laika Fund for Street Dogs, and a small but wonderful group of people, whose common goal is to alleviate some of the suffering that street dogs endure. From my co directors, to the fosters and adopters, and ALL the people who have helped us along the way, both financially and with encouragement, I am so thankful for every one of you.
In 2013, including my own three Romanian adoptions in July, (prior to the beginning of the "From Romania With Love" page, and LF) and some other adopter sponsored dogs, we have brought 17 dogs and 1 kitten from Romania and Kosovo, to new lives in Canada, and have networked many others, helping to find homes for dogs in the US, the UK, Germany and Belgium. These animals would have had little chance of adoption or long term survival, had they not been given this chance.
My hope for 2014 is that many more dogs can be saved, and that attitudes will begin to change in favour of compassion and understanding. The hearts of the rescue people I have met, are the kindling of change, and are so strong that surely this fire can only grow. We wish you and your family and friends, both two footed and four footed, all the best for the new year, may 2014 be good to you all. ~Rebecca Ashworth - December 31, 2013.

In December 2013:

Moose and Nanuk, along with Rita, Yolo, Laika, Alina and Angelo the kitten (adopter sponsored dogs and kitten) travelled to Canada. Nanuk (now called Ben) went to a wonderful adopter in Northern Ontario. Moose went to foster in Kingston, and shortly after was adopted by a lovely family near there.

We received very sad news that Magic, the little puppy we had rescued at Bran in Romania, had contracted distemper despite being vaccinated right away, had not responded to veterinary treatment, and had passed away at the foster home. After a brief moment of wanting to give in to despair, we set our sights on those who still need help, and continued on.

Holly arrived with our Kosovo coordinator, Jill McCarthy, and went to a lovely foster family in Northern Ontario.

March 3, 2014.  

February was another busy month for the Laika Fund! Emma (now called Mya) Andrew and Cora arrived in Canada, Two more Kosovo dogs came travelled with our Kosovo coordinator when she had to make a sudden trip home for a family emergency, though not the two Kosovo puppies we had been expecting.
The full extent of the horror of the Breasta shelter in Craiova, Romania

On February 24, I became aware of a Daily mail (UK) story about a small dog who had years ago lost her rear legs to a train, raising puppies in Datong City, China. In Toronto airport awaiting the arrival of the two Kosovo dogs, I was unable to do much but share to my facebook page and ask others to post to an Asian animal rescue page. Through the next week, I joined up with two facebook rescue friends, one in the US and one in Norway, and together we carried on the quest to locate Si Bao (Four Treasures) Our Norway friend had a breakthrough when she located a Chinese contact who was able to confirm the location of the dogs. On February 28, he sent a driver to confirm and take photos, but when the driver arrived, the workers who had been caring for Si Bao and her babies, practically forced him to take the dogs, anxious to see them gone and cared for. One puppy had already passed away, and the remaining three were very sick. We had them sent immediately to a vet clinic, and then proceeded to spend several hours arguing with the clinic in China, to keep the dogs at least one night. With no true quarantine facilities they were not keen, but did eventually agree to do this for us. Jill Robinson of Animals Asia, who is going to adopt Si Bao, kindly stepped up for the little family, agreeing not only to oversee their care, but to cover the vet costs! We are very grateful to her, and with her contacts, she will be able to accomplish whatever needs to be done for this very special dog and her babies! Two of the puppies who were diagnosed with distemper, were very ill and were not expected to survive, and we are currently down to two now, with one being stronger than the other and eating, which gives us some hope. The clinic has now found a place to create an isolation unit, and will treat and observe the dogs through the next few days. We will post updates as we receive them!

Si Bao and her babies at the train station when our driver found them February 28, 2014.

March 21, 2014. The situation in Romania is going from bad to worse. There are now cases being reported, of raids on private shelters, and dozens of dogs, many with adopters waiting, being removed to public shelters, where they are then subjected to filthy, overcrowded conditions, starvation, and finally cruel and inhumane deaths. I have been in such a shelter twice in the past week, and can verify that conditions are extremely bad. We have many dogs currently in foster, and need to move them out of the country. Please consider a donation to The Laika Fund, and help us get them to safety. Three more dogs made it safely to Canada this week, but many more are waiting. We can rehome dogs in the UK, Germany, Holland, and here in Canada or the US, but we desperately need your help to do this. These dogs are some of the worst treated on the planet.

Corageous little Si Bao, in China, is doing well. The weaker of the two remaining babies has passed away, but the last little girl is doing very well. She is now called Faith (Xin Nian) and we are very pleased to say, will also make her home with Jill Robinson of Animals Asia! Si Bao who has lost so much, will keep her last ever baby with her, and the two will have the best life that could be given them. A wonderful happy ending to a most amazing and touching story! Please visit Animals Asia:  www.animalsasia.org

      "Happy Endings"

April 8, 2014:   Lots of news this month. We have had several dogs adopted, to Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and New Jersey, USA. Many more dogs are waiting to travel, as the situation worsens in Romania. Authorities recently began targeting private rescues, shelters and fosters there, and in one brutal display, seized almost 90 dogs from a  German rescue near Bucharest. It was violent and bloody and 8 dogs were killed in the process. They also broke the locks on a vet clinic and seized 15 dogs in treatment for another rescue. As these were illegal seizures, the lawyers for the rescues were able to get the dogs back, but not until the shelter had illegally kept the owners of the dogs out for several days, and several of their dogs were found wandering loose outside the shelter property. Our Craiova fosters have recently been visited by authorities, and rescuers across Romania are extremely uneasy. We do not consider our dogs safe until they are out of the country, and for this reason, we need to get the current fundraiser dogs to goal, so we can work on the next group. The shaggy trio, the HUGE boys, are booked to travel at the end of the month, then the three from Craiova foster 2 - Lucy, Sheldon and Amanda will be the next group. We have several dogs arriving also in the next few weeks, from Kosovo and Albania. Please share the links, to assist us in getting the dogs to goal, we can not do this without your help, and sharing is more help than you may realise!
Si Bao (Four Treasures) and her surviving baby, Xin Nian (Faith) are doing very well in the Datong City clinic, and will be released in the next couple of weeks. We are thrilled to announce that Jill Robinson of Animals Asia, will also be adopting Xin Nian. This little dog who has lost so much, will keep her last ever baby with her at Jill's home in Hong Kong. We will post photos when they arrive.
The dog catchers are hard at work in Constanta, and all parts of Romania, the inhumane killings continue, and of the puppies pulled from the public shelter, only one has survived. "Chance" named for the fact he had but a slim chance, has survived! He is still in the clinic, but is expected to recover.
Rupert and Bobby are now out of the public shelter and in foster with Spot, and will be joined shortly by Christina.
Albanian rescuers, the group who rescued Jara, have reached out for help with a few of their dogs. The need is overwhelming, the resources low. The dogs are being poisoned on the streets, and die a slow and excruciatingly painful death. The price that street dogs in many countries pay with tourist season approaching. Enja, a young dog buried in a muddy pit and left for dead, and two other dogs, will come to Canada soon for rehoming through The Laika Fund. We have many dogs still in foster in Romania, Kosovo, Albania and Thailand. Please consider a donation to help them, and if you are thinking about adopting, or fostering, please contact us at:   [email protected]

Please view the slideshow of dogs still waiting for adoption. Unless the dog has already been transported to North America, UK and EU adoption also possible.

August, 2014. - The last few weeks have brought more departures from Romania, Kosovo, Albania and Thailand, several more adoptions, the launch of a new UK facebook page, the beginnings of a fundraiser for a shelter in Romania to house dogs in foster, and many new dogs needing help. Please share our site with friends, we are grateful for your support. We also wanted to share these photos:
Remember Si Bao the two legged dog in China, and her puppies that made the Daily Mail in the UK? (scroll down for the story) Through the efforts of friends in Norway - Sissel Eide Klemmetson, and the U.S. - Karene Nethery-West,  and ourselves, these dogs were found and taken to a clinic in Datong, China (team pictured below). One puppy had already passed away, and sadly two others succumbed to distemper, however Si Bao, now also given the English name "Lelly" by actress Leslie Nicol of Downton Abbey (it was her nickname as a child) and the puppy Faith, now nicknamed "Muddie", recovered, and were adopted by Jill Robinson of Animals Asia, who also very kindly covered their medical costs. What is left of the little family will stay together, and want for nothing. They are happy, beautifully cared for, and much loved by all who know them. Thank you Jill! For further updates, please click on one of the following photos to see the album on our facebook page, "Si Bao - the 2 legged dog with puppies in China"

Please see our facebook page for the most up to date information on all of our rescues, as well as updates on adopted dogs. In the coming weeks we have new arrivals from Romania and Albania. The Laika family of adopters is truly a global one now, with no borders for adoption as well as rescue! Some amazing rescue stories, and beautiful dogs looking for their forever families. Please share the link with friends, and help us broaden our support base, we can not save these dogs without you!
click on the link to go to:

Click here to visit The Laika Fund for Street Dogs on Facebook

Laika Fund Slideshow Videos on Youtube

January, 2015 - 2014 was a really busy year. It saw many dogs homed in Canada, the UK and the US, and many others rescued and put in safe foster in Romania and Albania. Together with Romanian Rescue Appeal, we pulled a large group of dogs from Pallady and Bragadiru shelters in Bucharest. Many of the dogs still need sponsors and or adopters, please visit our facebook page "Save the Pallady Pups" to see the most recent news.
K9Aid helped find sponsors for many of these dogs, and also posted fundraisers to help us bring several of our dogs. We are most grateful for their help! They also sent a box of supplies which will be taken to Romania and distributed for dogs in need.

We are still urgently in need of fosters, mainly in Ontario, but also in other parts of Canada, as well as the UK and the US. If you are interested in becoming a foster for The Laika Fund, and helping to change lives, please message us at:  [email protected]

Our new rented space in Romania for (initially) 50 dogs is almost complete. We already have a few dogs there, and more will follow. This will allow us to pay costs for space and food, as opposed to a monthly foster fee per dog. We are looking for people who would be willing to contribute 10. Euros per month (approximately $14. Canadian) or ANY amount, to help us cover costs. Please message us if you are able to help. Your support makes the world of difference to dogs who would otherwise have no chance. "Saving one dog won't change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever!"

2015 is shaping up to be a busy year. In March, in combination with a trip to transport several dogs, Rebecca will be spending a week in Bacau, Romania, to assist with a RAR (Romania Animal Rescue) spayathon, where owned and community dogs will be spayed at no cost. Trap/neuter/release, when done properly, is STILL the only effective method of reducing street dog populations, and is also THE ONLY HUMANE APPROACH!

Despite the suspension of the kill law in Romania in June of last year, the killing continues, and the treatment of the dogs in public shelters across the country is for the most part appalling and in contradiction of the laws. We continue to encourage Romanian and EU officials to address this situation.

Please share our page, like us on facebook, and consider supporting us with a donation of any size. One dog at a time, we make a difference! Thank you to all of you who already support The Laika Fund for Street Dogs.