Now things are at a hiatus with the public shelter - indeed, dog catching has ceased for now - we were approached by the City Hall last week to intervene with a case of 18 dogs who were in the care of a local church. The church had been having some building work done which was now complete. This seminary was to be a place of peace and quiet so the dogs had to go. The church asked that the dog catchers come.

The girls went to check things out and nothing could have prepared them for the site that greeted them. 18 dogs were chained to 18 pillars on half metre chains. They were skin and bones.

"Why are they so thin?" Gea asked. "Don't you feed them?"

"Yes," was the reply "They are fed on a Monday and Thursday."

Fed twice a week and no water!

Gea and Oana took six dogs immediately. Food was left for the remaining dogs and water bowls were filled for each. Three days later the remaining 12 dogs came into our care.

The situation made the headlines all over Romania with a TV crew and newspaper reporters all wanting an inside story.

Here are our 'Church Dogs'.

We respond to emergencies like this so often. Daily dogs come into our care. Please, if you can, donate to help us help them.