Romanian bears and stray dogs….

One day, after we came back from Peles Castle, two Border Collie puppies were in the yard of our home exchange. They were practically opposites, one black, and one white. These puppies were adorable! They were so happy when they saw us, their tails wagging so hard their whole body shook, but when we got closer to pet them, they crouched away, indicating they were not very social/trained. They were the cutest! We named them Salt and Pepper… But the white one was Pepper and the black one was Salt. :)

Salt & Pepper, some of the cutest puppies ever!

The next day, these adorable little puppies were still there, and they were thrilled to see us again. Unfortunately, they were trampling the plants and we didn’t want them to get too attached, so we walked them into town and we drove back. They didn’t follow us.

But, a few days later, the puppies were back, tails wagging as hard as ever. It was fantastic to see them again, but they couldn’t stay. We spent hours looking for a good dog shelter for them. Romania has a big problem with stray dogs and the government shelters are terrible, almost like dog concentration camps, and euthanizing many. We did not want that for Salt & Pepper!

After many hours of researching and calling, we found one: Victory Dog Shelter. They’re part of the Millions of Friends Association, the same organization that runs the largest brown bear sanctuary in the world. We drove for almost 2 hours to drop off the puppies. It was so sad, but we know it’s the best for them.

Some of the bears, waiting for their breakfast. :)

Two days later, on Tuesday, we went to the Libearty Bear Sanctuary. This sanctuary is the largest brown bear sanctuary, currently holding 118 brown bears (their maximum capacity is 120 bears). They rescue bears that were in terrible conditions; in small cages next to restaurants, hotels, and gas stations to attract tourists, and in zoos that couldn’t provide proper conditions for them. A few bears have also been rescued from poachers from the wild.

Some bears came to the sanctuary not know hot to climb a tree, splash in water, or even feel grass on their paws. They come from miserable conditions to 69 hectares of forest. They can live out their days in joy; climbing trees, enjoying cool water on their fur, and just being a bear.

Some of the stories of the bears are terribly sad. One bear, Alisa, worked in a circus before she came to the sanctuary. After many years of flashing lights (from cameras), she began to go blind. She was 28 years old when she finally was freed to the sanctuary!

Alisa and Bolik, two of my favorite bears!

Another bear, Bolik, was rescued from Ukraine. Someone locked this poor bear up in a cage with concrete floors and thick metal bars for 15 years. When the Ukrainian war with Russia got worse, Bolik was rescued by the Libearty Bear Sanctuary. Before he arrived, he had never felt grass on his feet or even seen another bear!

The tours are $10-15 a person, and they’re available in Romanian and English. The sanctuary is split into different sections, and the tour wanders its way around these sections.

The Libearty Bear Sanctuary also rescues deer and wolves, but their focus is mainly bears.

You can donate to them, and also you can adopt a bear. We adopted Yogy, the oldest. He’s 41 years old, and currently the oldest brown bear of the sanctuary! He’s an adorable bear, slowly lumbering his way through the sanctuary.

This sanctuary was amazing! Their work and effort is incredible, and it’s such a wonderful cause! The association is fantastic, and they work so hard.

I totally recommend this place to donate to and to go to if you’re in Romania!