When the Vet Calls – A Day That Started Like Any Other

When the Vet Calls

The phone rings, and my heart already knows what’s coming.
It’s another veterinarian, voice heavy with the weight of an impossible situation. Another injured animal sits in their clinic, caught between hope and heartbreak, while the clock ticks toward a decision no one wants to make.

A Day That Started Like Any Other

Parents had brought their children to enjoy a sunny afternoon at the local park when they noticed him—a dog in the middle of the playground, clearly in pain and growing more agitated by the moment. Concerned for their children’s safety, they called the council for help.

When the dog handler arrived, the full scope of this poor soul’s suffering became clear. Angry, infected wounds circled her neck where a chain had been embedded—likely for months or even years. Her body was shaking with pain and fatigue, but it was the large tumor growing on her belly that made everyone’s heart sink.

No identification. No owner stepping forward. Just another stray whose world of pain had finally intersected with humans who cared enough to help.

The Question That Haunts Every Animal Lover

“We have a dog here,” the veterinarian explained when they called us. “She’s quite young, maybe three or four years old. Under all this suffering, she’s got so much life left in her. But without surgery and treatment, we’ll have to put her to sleep. Can you help?”

How do you answer that call? How do you look at a young, treatable animal and decide whether she gets a chance at the life she deserves, or whether her story ends on a steel table because no one can pay for her care?

This is the Reality Veterinarians Face Every Day

Across Romania, compassionate veterinarians receive injured strays brought in by Good Samaritans who can’t afford the treatment costs. These vets chose their profession because they love animals, but they’re caught in an impossible position: provide free care and risk their business closing, or euthanize animals that could easily be saved.

That’s when they call us. When they call ROLDA.

The Weight of Yes

When that call came about the dog from the playground, we didn’t hesitate. We said yes before we’d even calculated the cost of her surgery, her tumor removal, her wound treatment, her recovery care.

We said yes because that’s what ROLDA is—a network of people who believe that when an animal needs help, we find a way. Even when our budget is stretched thin. Even when we’re not sure how we’ll cover the next emergency call.

We said yes because somewhere out there are people like you who understand that these calls aren’t just about one dog—they’re about the promise that no animal suffers alone when help is possible.

Every Month, Every Call, Every Life

The veterinarian worked with us to keep costs as reasonable as possible—because they care too. The surgery was successful. The tumor was removed. The wounds are healing. That dog who was dying in a playground is now wagging her tail in recovery, probably for the first time in months.

But even as I write this, I know our phone will ring again next week. Another vet, another animal caught between life and death, another split-second decision that determines whether hope wins or gives way to heartbreak.

Your Voice in That Decision

Every time we say yes, it’s not just ROLDA speaking—it’s every monthly supporter who has chosen to be part of these life-or-death moments. Your support doesn’t just fund medical care; it gives us the confidence to answer “yes” when that next call comes.

When the phone rings tomorrow with another emergency, will you be part of the voice that says this animal’s life matters?

Become a monthly supporter and ensure we never have to let cost determine whether an animal lives or dies.

Because every call answered with “yes” is a life transformed—and a reminder that compassion in action can change everything.