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SAVE THE DOGS AND OTHER ANIMALS

MISSION AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT

SAVE THE DOGS AND OTHER ANIMALS ROMANIA

2015

http://www.savethedogs.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Rapporto-2015-fin-01-04-it-ro_EN.pdf


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Contents

1. Vision and strategy

1.1 The Association and its mission

1.2 The summary report of the 2015 mission

2. Activity in 2015

2.1 Projects and indicators of the Company

2.2 Economic indicators

3. Managing Save the Dogs and Other Animals Association Romania and contact details


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1. Vision and strategy

1.1 The Association and its mission

The Association was born in order to give an answer to the tragic state of emergency in which the stray dogs are

in Romania, with hundreds of thousands of animals exterminated every year and an endemic, out of control

phenomenon regarding the abandoned animals. Save the Dogs and Other Animals aims to promote in Romania a

culture that recognizes their animals (in particular, pets and equines) a number of inalienable rights, considering that

the company has towards these animals the responsibility to protect them, due to both objective value of each

animal, because it is a living being, equipped with senses, which can suffer and have feelings and positive and

irreplaceable role that animals play in human society.

Save the Dogs aims to counter the endemic phenomenon of stray dogs through an integrated approach, inspired by

the principles of the International Companion Animal Management including:

Capturing from the field of animals in distress, with health problems, victims of abandonment or object of

complaints from the public;

Activities qualified as veterinarian for the community, in collaboration with the local municipality;

Programs of identification and registration in the register of dogs with owner;

Conducting education and volunteering programs, social projects and awareness campaigns to stimulate

reflection on a correct relationship man-animal, in order to promote responsible attitude from people.

1.2 The summary report of the 2015 mission

In 2015, the activities of the organization Save the Dogs Romania were held regularly to give optimal results in terms

of quantity. Inspections of sanitary veterinary authority and the labour inspectorate ended positively, the same as the

financial plan presented at the last general assembly was rigorously followed: all these are manifestations of good

and proper administration of the association.

The activities of Save the Dogs Romania organization were conducted in 2015 aiming at three main directions:

A greater focus on Cernavodă city, which remains the main pole of the association. Intense focus on the

city - through projects of identification of dogs and fighting vagrancy - and Save the Dogs centres in

Cernavodă led to an improvement in the conditions of the dogs that are in our shelters (with less

overcrowding) and low number of dogs without master in the city as well as an increase in local funds from

activity due to their capturing and neutering. The conclusion after years of lawsuits in court of the

unauthorized shelter dog, Spike, has undoubtedly contributed to this improvement. In 2015 was it was also

completed (in December) the laborious process of applying for permits to build a new veterinary clinic in

Cernavodă, where today there is Footprints of Joy shelter dogs and the sanctuary of equines, clinic to be

built between 2016 and 2017 which will become the headquarters of the association.


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The greatest operational concentration of Cernavodă gave our unit in Medgidia a secondary role,

supporting the main activities carried out in Cernavodă and its surroundings, especially by involving our

staff in the mobile clinic project. At the same time, Save the Dogs had an important counselling role on

changes under way in Constanța, where the municipality took over in direct administration the Public shelter

for dogs, a place which in the past was the scene of serious abuses on dogs. We could not assume - due to

obvious financial and logistical reasons and, hence, the desire and the need to focus on the city of

Cernavodă – the management of the problem of stray dogs in the big city, even if we tried to orient towards

it the future strategy of the town hall.

A strong involvement in the development of financial projects in order to improve the quality of

administration of canine population in the area. We had for the first time in one year four projects funded by

international institutions (WAP and Dogs Trust), out of which one, the mobile clinic one, with a substantial

contribution. It was also initiated an additional educational project besides the one already implemented in

2012, which allowed the development for 2016 of a pilot program at national level with the support of the

Ministry of Education to introduce a compulsory class in the school curriculum dedicated to the theme of

protection of animals and the environment (the pilot program Learning about animals is currently in

progress, and has a dedicated website www.sainvatamdespreanimale.ro. The sterilization project via the

mobile unit intensified; it often worked in difficult environmental conditions, from May to October in the

surrounding villages of Cernavodă and Medgidia to prevent abandonment and migration of dogs. The

mobile clinic broke its previous record (816 surgeries in 2014) reaching the number of 1,066 of free

neutering of dogs and cats, an activity that will continue in 2016, thanks to a new funding from the

Foundation Dogs Trust UK, given optimum results obtained in 2015.

The other two projects funded follow the third orientation and characterized the policy of the organization

Save the Dogs Romania 2015: the desire to better study the impact of our intervention over the territory

through social and scientific instruments such as qualitative and social analysis of the planned activities. To

do this, two sociological researches were conducted: one (attached in English) in order to measure: a) the

number of dogs with master and their welfare in areas of Cernavodă and Medgidia, b) the impact (positive

net result) of the activity of the mobile clinic in rural areas; the other for analyzing stakeholders

(veterinarians, other associations, authorities, etc.) of territory that can collaborate with Save the Dogs.

The first research revealed an extremely large number of dogs with master are in the region (over 15

thousand), most un-neutered or neutered only due to the organization Save the Dogs; the second

highlighted the dramatic lack of other actors (in addition to municipality) able to assist in proper

management of the canine population (veterinarians, other non-profit associations etc.). This hampers the

work of the organization Save the Dogs in the region and shows how many challenges are still to face.

The desire to intensify the analysis of the scientific data was also born due to the creation, at the end of

2015, of a new management application for dog shelters of Save the Dogs in Romania, able to immediately

monitor data about the inputs and outputs of animal in centres and their health.


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2. Activity in 2015

2.1 Projects and indicators of the Company

2.1.1. Number of neutering and management of canine population in Cernavodă and Medgidia

The number of free neutering of dogs and cats conducted by Save the Dogs in Cernavodă and Medgidia as well as in surrounding rural areas thanks to the mobile clinic

and in collaboration with Filosvet clinic remained almost the same compared to 2014, reaching a rate of 2,718 sterilizations of animals throughout County1. The

centralizing tables are presented below.

No MONTH

CERNAVODĂ MEDGIDIA

DOGS CATS TOTAL DOGS CATS TOTAL

DOG

SHELTER

DOG

SHELTER

DOG

SHELTER

DOG

SHELTER

1. JANUARY 51 16 67 37 0 12 0 49

2. FEBRUARY 38 27 65 34 0 32 0 66

3. MARCH 60 31 91 51 31 41 0 123

4. APRIL 42 21 63 48 15 7 2 72

5. MAY 103 12 115 18 185 14 12 229

6. JUNE 107 23 130 28 194 5 7 234

7. JULY 77 27 104 32 240 16 6 294

8. AUGUST 49 7 56 25 121 11 3 160

9 SEPTEMBER 64 51 115 51 191 26 3 271

10 OCTOBER 66 27 93 33 55 15 1 104

11 NOVEMBER 53 27 80 38 0 23 0 61

12 DECEMBER 35 13 48 22 0 6 0 28

TOTAL 745 282 1,027 417 1,032 208 34 1,691

TOTAL NO. OF DOGS 2,194

TOTAL NO. OF CATS 524

GENERAL TOTAL 2,718

1 These numbers are indicative. For official numbers, it is necessary to consult the records of our centers. 60% of neutered dogs and cats in all of our centers were females

and 60% of cats and dogs in Cernavodă, were claimed, with master, while in Medgidia, 65% of neutered dogs and even 86% of cats had owner.


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STERILIZATIONS 2012-20152

YEAR STERILIZATIONS 2012 2,553 2013 2,599 2014 2,877 2015 2,718 *

Total 10,747

YEAR STERILIZATIONS 2012 861 2013 160 2014 816 2015 1,066 Total 2,903

*2,194 dogs and 524 cats.

2 Data refer to Cernavodă and Medgidia and the surrounding villages (Siemeni, Rasova, Castelu, Făclia, Satu Nou, Mircea Vodă, Tortoman, etc.). These numbers are

indicative; the official numbers need to be consulted in the records of our centers.


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The new record of sterilizations, which was recorded within the mobile clinic project co-funded by Dogs

Trust UK, reached the number of 1,066 neutered dogs and cats in rural areas where there are not

adequate veterinary services. The sociological research conducted in parallel demonstrates that in rural

areas there are between 15,000 and 18,000 dogs with master (without Cernavodă and Medgidia), an

enormous number, out of which the neutered dogs (at the end of 2015, meaning after the work was

performed) is only between 28 % and 35%. It is significant that the research shows that 85% of neutered

dogs were operated by doctors from the organization Save the Dogs, which clearly indicates that without

the precious use of the mobile clinic, only an insignificant part of the dogs would have ceased to reproduce.

We present below a detail of the work carried out by Save the Dogs in conjunction with Dogs Trust UK, the

local authorities involved and Filosvet Clinic of Medgidia (data to which we must add 31 neutered dogs in

the mobile clinic in the suburbs of Mangalia and which are part of another private initiative):

Mobile clinic - Dogs Trust and Save the Dogs - 2015

Name of village Week Neutered

dogs F M Cats Dogs with

chip Emergencies

Remus Opreanu I 15 11 4 2 15 0

Castelu II 46 26 20 6 38 1

Tortoman III 60 27 33 4 61 1

Nisipari IV 33 16 17 2 25 0

Rasova V 46 18 28 0 46 0

Cochirleni VI 47 23 24 2 45 1

Cuza Vodă VII 47 31 16 0 47 0

Mircea Vodă VIII 47 26 21 1 42 0

Satu Nou IX 53 24 29 4 51 0

Poarta Albă X 45 26 19 2 44 1

Siemeni XI 48 29 19 1 48 0

Ciocârlia XII 52 39 13 2 34 0

Mircea Vodă XIII 45 21 24 0 42 0

Peștera XIV 50 26 24 1 42 0

Saligny-Făclia XV 46 28 18 3 46 0

Valea Dacilor XVI 29 18 11 0 29 0

Peștera/Ciocârlia XVII 46 21 25 0 37 0

Saligny-Făclia XVIII 54 26 28 2 54 1

Nisipari/Saligny-Făclia XIX 56 28 28 0 48 0

Castelu/Poarta Albă XX 44 32 12 0 41 0

Poarta Albă/Tortoman XXI 37 17 20 1 36 0

Cuza Vodă/Satu Nou XXII 55 30 25 1 49 0

TOTAL 1001 543 458 34 920 5


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Finally, in 2015, our shelters received 567 new dogs and 95 new cats and on the 31st of December 2015 we hosted

520 dogs in Cernavodă and 139 dogs in Medgidia, besides the 30 cats in Cernavodă and 15 cats in the shelter in

Medgidia.

Dogs in Cernavodă/FOJ 520

Cats in Cernavodă 30

Dogs in Medgidia 139

Cats in Medgidia 15

We must point out that this year has been given a great importance to the identification and registration of dogs,

especially in Cernavodă, in application of the law 258/2013 which requires this thing, together with the neutering of

own domestic animal.

Only in Cernavodă, the identification (and neutering) project conducted door-to-door in collaboration with the

municipality, 720 dogs3 were identified, and in Medgidia, 604. Another 920 dogs were identified by implanting

microchips (and all neutered) in rural areas surrounding these cities via the mobile clinic. All dogs (a total of 2,230,

compared to 1,381 the previous year) were thus registered by our vets in RECS, the National Registry of dogs with

master, operational since 2014.

3 Of these, 75% were not neutered. Of these, on average, in our clinics were neutered about 65% annually, while

the remaining 10% could not be neutered because of age (puppies, old dogs). Other owners refused it or did not show up to the appointment. In Medgidia, the average of neutered dogs is below 50%.


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MEASURES TAKEN TO IDENTIFY DOGS 2013-2015*4

YEAR MICROCHIPS 2013 892 2014 1,381 2015 2,230 Total 4,503

* The program started only in Medgidia in 2013, when there was no register of dogs. Since March 2014, all dogs are registered in the register of dogs.

4 Data refer to Cernavodă and Medgidia and the surrounding villages (Siemeni, Rasova, Castelu, Făclia, Satu Nou, Mircea Vodă, Tortoman, etc.). These numbers are

indicative; the official numbers need to be consulted in the records of our centers.


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Thanks to our partners in Europe and the work of the organization Save the Dogs Italy, adoptions have continued to be in large numbers, even if less than in 2014:

the trend remains negative in recent years, but we hope that in 2016 a resumption growth will take place in the number of animals received in families in Europe. The

adoptions in Italy particularly suffer, while adoptions in Sweden recorded an exponential rise, as well as the adoptions in Switzerland in the past two years. Of the 542

completed adoptions, 41 refer to animals (38 dogs and 3 cats) from STAAD association in Neptun, which Save the Dogs has been helping for some years now.

ADOPTIONS 2012-2015

YEAR ADOPTIONS 2012 654

2013 588 2014 573 2015 542 *

Total 2,357

*39 completed local adoptions

YEAR 2015 ADOPTIONS 2015 Italy 140 Sweden 236 Switzerland 112 Romania 39 Others 15 **

Total 542 *** **Finland, Germany, Principality of Monaco

***464 dogs and 78 cats


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Below, there are the centralizing tables on adoption:

Type Destination Adoptions 2015 Adoptions 2014

Dogs

ITALY 120 186

SWEDEN 200 146

SWITZERLAND 99 79

FINLAND 11 21

GERMANY AND MONACO 3 14

ROMANIA 31 39

Total no. of dogs 464 485

Cats

ITALY 21 47

SWEDEN 36 11

SWITZERLAND 13 9

ROMANIA 8 20

Total no. of cats 78 88

Total of performed adoptions 542 573


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2.1.2 Equine rescue project

The project to protect equines from Constanța region is continuously developing. First of all, the verification

program at home of donkeys in the county through checks made by our veterinarians and farriers, project supported

by our partner The Donkey Sanctuary. This project allows us to monitor the number and the health of donkeys in the

county, avoiding abandonment and abuse. The results of the project are also positive for horses with master dogs to

overcome the winter period: horses are examined by our veterinarians and masters are offered blankets, bridles,

brushes, vitamins and other dietary supplements to facilitate their passage through this season. We remind you that

all our beneficiaries are generally very poor families and / or of Roma ethnicity, who live in rural areas without access

to veterinary services and who use the horse or donkey for daily work and support the family.

In our shelter, Footprints of Joy, in 2015, another two donkeys were received and left four (two deaths for reasons of

old age, two euthanasias of serious health reasons). 2 new horses arrived and as many as them died. We mention

the loss of Sile, the old donkey who was among one the first few used years ago in therapy, and Mugurel the old

horse man lung problems, housed for many years at FOJ.

Horses in our shelters 10

Donkeys in our shelters 59

Donkeys examined in Constanța region

83

(in 11 villages)

Horses examined in Constanța region

56

(in 11 villages)

Donkeys used for therapy at Brădet - Brașov 2

Children who benefited from therapy in 2015 23

2.1.3. 2.1.2 The project of therapy with donkeys

2015 was also a year of great success for the project It is Donkey Time! in Cernavodă, this benefited from wide

media coverage. Beneficiaries were 18 children between 4 and 10 years with problems that include autism,

hyperactivity, children with motor problems or spastic syndromes. They all benefited adjunctive therapy for at least 8

weeks in the Footprints of Joy centre, some of them enjoyed all 16 weeks organized from May to September 2015.

The children were assisted by a kinetotherapist expert and a social worker who used specific records to monitor

progress made for each session (50 minutes).

From the results presented at the local Conference organized in October 2015 it revealed that all children who

attended this program enjoyed objective benefits from the application of therapy. Children who were present

obtained


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excellent results (4 of 18) and those who

attended at least 75% of the meetings

have reached in any case, the results

falling between good and very good.

12 children have reached 80% of the

kinetotherapist goals at the beginning of

their journey.

The outcome of the new program of

therapy is also positive carried out within

the County Centre for orphans (about a

hundred of those present, some with

disabilities) in Brădet, Brașov county,

where 2 foals were taken (Gogu and

Remy) to develop a pilot project in collaboration with the county authorities of Brașov. 5 children with autism have

benefited from this therapy for 5 weeks and it ended with optimal results. Next year will continue, therefore, a greater

number of children from the moment the welfare of donkeys will be checked by our veterinary doctors.

2.1.4. The educational project

The educational project of the organization Save the Dogs Romania, carried out from January to June 2015,

sponsored by WAP (World Animal Protection) reached the number of 1,165 children aged 6 to 11 years from

thirteen villages in rural areas where the mobile clinic also operated. This year, we have focused on those areas

where it was most needed compared to Cernavodă and Medgidia, where the educational program has been running

for over three years. The lessons - two courses one month away - were conducted in 13 schools, many of which

benefited from a visit to our shelter, Footprints of Joy during "Săptămâna altfel" ("A different school week") (2015,

430 children came to visit us), when the

children had the opportunity to see the

dogs and donkeys as well as ask

questions to veterinarians, who

answered them and deepened the

topics about animal protection. A

beautiful initiative set to develop more

the work of our association. In the

surrounding villages, it was held instead

a double educational intervention:

one addressed to schoolchildren, the

other, to adults, by spreading teaching

materials and conducting consultations

at home within the mobile clinic

program.


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2.2 Economic indicators

This section contains the data of the association as a whole in order to create a quantitative picture of the activity

and structure of the organization Save the Dogs Romania.

Staff remained stable overall (around 50 units, plus veterinarians

consultants), but in 2015 there were many replacements

(especially at management level), which led to the formation of a

new operational structure, still in the process of being defined. In

particular, the chronic difficulty is persistent of finding

veterinarians willing to work in our dogs’ shelter.

A special mention needs to be made as regarding the steady

growth of the bureaucratic procedures essential for managing our

structures and of the association in accordance with the laws in

force with a workload important for both medical staff and the

administrative one.

Finally, local and foreign volunteers have great importance to Save the Dogs who, every year for a few days within

our structures, help facilitate the socialization of dogs and give a hand in the events organized with the residents and

local schools. In 2015, 78 volunteers from all over Europe gave us at least two days of work.

It is reported that in the past two years, some volunteers became stable, continuously taking part in the activity of the

association.

STAFF (03/2016) 52

Directors

External Relations Officer

Administrative Officers

Internal Adoptions Officers

Responsible for Logistics

Trainers

Veterinarians

1

1

3 (1 part-time)

2

1

1

3

Veterinary assistants 4

Drivers

Specialist catcher

3

2

Skilled workers 29 (1 part-time)

Guards 2

VOLUNTEERS 78

Romania

Italy

Sweden

Switzerland

8

10

50

6

UK

Finland

Denmark

1

2

1


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As regarding the income and expenditure of the association Save the Dogs Romania in 2015 we present below the

profit and loss account for the reference year, followed by a brief economic analysis5.

Income 2015 Euro (4,44 RON) %2015 Income 2014

Contracts and local conventions € 9.240,00

€ 6.622,00

Sums from members € 158,00 € 158,00

2% € 2.372,00 € 2.600,00

Local donations € 3.030,00 € 5.829,00

Companies (sponsorships) € 450,00 € 450,00

Sales of goods € 1.577,00 € 2.146,00

Horses on Death Row € 20.565,00

€ 17.766,00

Other income € 93,00 4% € 3.088,00

Save the Dogs Italy € 742.350,00 86% € 815.930,00

Dogs Trust € 73.965,00

-

WAP € 9.950,00 10% € 12.448,00

TOTAL € 863.750,00 € 866.587,00

Expenditure 2015 Euro (4,44 RON) % 2015 Expenditure 2014

General expenses for staff/ consultants € 334.909,00 € 339.223,00

Central administration € 51.649,00

€ 50.943,00

Cernavodă and FOJ dogs/ cats € 175.320,00 € 166.501,00

Medgidia dogs/ cat € 71.627,00 € 82.490,00

Footprints of Joy donkeys € 30.680,00 € 28.872,00

Footprints of Joy horses € 14.377,00 € 15.137,00

5 One caveat concerns that income and expenditure are grouped here arbitrarily and calculated in Euros at a maximum annual exchange rate versus income and expenditure in RON, Euro, Dollars and British Pounds. Also, we do not consider the amortization, loans, exchange costs etc. The figures given must be considered as close to reality, but they do not correspond to official calculations in RON and therefore these tables are only a report of the administration for the associations of the organization Save the Dogs Romania without any legal value. Regarding the official calculations, please refer to the balance sheet submitted to the competent authorities of Romania or available at our office.


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Therapy programs in Cernavodă/ Brașov € 4.626,00 € 2.675,00

Adoptions € 67.714,00 87% € 58.542,00

New clinic € 31.486,00 6% € 5.006,00

Investments (new van) € 22.770,00 € 79.474,00

Mobile clinic (without staff) € 53.278,00 7% € 20.923,00

Educational project (without staff) € 8.911,00

TOTAL € 867.347,00 € 849.786,00

Local donations continue to decrease (due to parallel activity of Filosvet Clinic in Medgidia), decrease covered by

increasing revenues from collaborations with Cernavodă Town Hall primarily, with CNE Nuclear Power Plant, with

Lafarge factory in Medgidia and Constanța International Airport.

Revenues from local donations and contributions reached to 4-5% of the total income in the last three years. The

important novelty this year is the income from other foreign associations / foundations for specific projects, at a rate

of 10%: a rate never before reached till now. If we look at the previous year, we notice that the funds granted by

Save the Dogs Italy were about 94% of all revenues of the organization Save the Dogs Romania, while this year

dropped to 86% (approximately EUR -70 000). We can undoubtedly affirm that winning international projects

meant the reduction of funds requested to the Italian mother house, allowing the facilitation of financial

contribution of the latter and releasing funds for possible investments.

Regarding the annual expenditure, it is noticed an increase in expenses related to dog shelters in Cenavodă (due

to the acquisition of food of better quality for animals and steady growth of used rapid tests) and lower expenditure

for the centre in Medgidia where the team is predominantly involved in the mobile clinic, which inevitably reduced the

time to work in the city and within shelter dogs.

Investments are represented by the purchase of a new van for international adoptions and arranging it according

to the law, in addition to the work to bring at the same level the new clinic and the costly bureaucratic procedures for

obtaining all approvals. 6% of expenses are for administration, 6% is investment and the remaining 88% was spent

on typical activities (management of canine, feline, equine population), including staff, and for specific funded

projects (research, education, therapy, mobile clinic).


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3. Management and administration of the association SAVE THE DOGS Romania

Save the Dogs Romania is a Romanian association, whose governing body is the General Assembly of

shareholders. The General Assembly appoints a Board of Directors and within it, a president, a treasurer and an

adviser. The General Assembly verifies annually the choices made by the Board of Directors, which meets three

times a year, and the President, who is also the legal representative of the association.

The professional structure is established according to the organizational chart as follows:

General Assembly of Shareholders

Board of Directors

President

General Manager

Dogs and cats in Cernavodă General administration

Dogs and cats in Medgidia Design and development

Donkeys and horses

International adoptions

Educational project

Therapy project


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The shareholders have a political role, while the professional structure serves an operational and technical role.

The shareholders are responsible, through the Board of Directors, for the strategic planning and setting objectives

and economic and social obligations to fulfil. The professional structure tries to follow these objectives and at the

same time, to check the social obligations.

All members of the Board of Directors are elected by the shareholders and none of them is paid for the work done.

Within the professional structure, the General Directorate is responsible for the economic balance of the association,

verification of achieving the objectives and obligations set by the Board of Directors, as well as designing in

collaboration with the Board of Directors. Central administration is responsible for the accreditation of the balance

sheet, while area coordinators are responsible for each goal set for the proper fulfilment of the mission of the

association.

Contact details:

Registered office:

Strada Medgidiei H4 Sc. C, Et. 3, Ap.52

Cernavodă - 905200

The new administrative headquarters:

Strada Alecsandri 12

Cernavodă - 905200

Other lucrative facilities are:

For further information you can write to: [email protected] or call +40 (0) 241 235 081.

The undersigned STOICA ELENA ALINA, interpreter and translator authorized for English and French,

under authorization no. 24079/2011 issued by the Ministry of Justice of Romania, certify the accuracy of the

translation of the herein document from Romanian to English, the presented text has been fully translated, without

omissions, and the translation does not distort the content and meaning of the text.

Authorized interpreter and translator

Stoica Elena Alina

Footprints of Joy Shelter

Str. Hinog, 1

905200 Cernavodă

Dog Shelter in Cernavodă

Str. Canalului, 1

905200 Cernavodă

Dog Shelter in Medgidia

Str. Republicii, 121

905600 Medgidia

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