1. Save the Dogs and other AnimalsSave the Dogs and other Animals
in Romaniain Romania
HOW TO BUILD UP A CHARITYHOW TO BUILD UP A CHARITY
STARTING FROM SCRATCHSTARTING FROM SCRATCH

2. Romania, 1980:Romania, 1980:
the beginning of our storythe beginning of our story

3. The huge demolitions during the 80sThe huge demolitions during the 80s

4. The outcomeThe outcome

6. But also...But also...

7. CapturesCaptures

8. KillingsKillings

10. Makeshift sheltersMakeshift shelters

11. From Milan to RomaniaFrom Milan to Romania
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/09/06/artic
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14. Possible reactions to the shocking tripPossible reactions to the shocking trip
EmotionalEmotional::
• Escape from reality: return toEscape from reality: return to everyday's lifeeveryday's life
• To drop everything and relocateTo drop everything and relocate
Rational:Rational:
• To look for a local partner and support it fromTo look for a local partner and support it from
a distance without disrupting onea distance without disrupting one's's own lifeown life

15. Search for a local partner:Search for a local partner:
a possible choice?a possible choice?

17. OutcomeOutcome
• Aid to the shelthers in Bucharest:Aid to the shelthers in Bucharest:
too little accountabilitytoo little accountability
conflicts between organizations as to theconflicts between organizations as to the
reception of fundsreception of funds
lack of know-how as to animal managementlack of know-how as to animal management
very limited impact on the cityvery limited impact on the city
• Aid to the shelter Spike in Cernavoda:Aid to the shelter Spike in Cernavoda:
 unacceptable conditions of the dogs, "hoarding”unacceptable conditions of the dogs, "hoarding”
no neutering schemeno neutering scheme
rejection of any form of controlrejection of any form of control

18. Relocation to Romania:Relocation to Romania:
madness or the only real possibility?madness or the only real possibility?
Given that Romania was:Given that Romania was:
• a country with no tradition in the field of animala country with no tradition in the field of animal
protectionprotection
• a country with no tradition of non-profita country with no tradition of non-profit
• one of the most corrupt countries in Europeone of the most corrupt countries in Europe
Relocating represented the only way to:Relocating represented the only way to:
• give a real chance to straysgive a real chance to strays
• create a long-term projectcreate a long-term project
• respect the Italian donors and their generosityrespect the Italian donors and their generosity

19. Starting all over…Starting all over…

20. Strengthening relations with the authoritiesStrengthening relations with the authorities

21. Finding a new locationFinding a new location
Agosto 2002Agosto 2002

22. The golden rules of the start-upThe golden rules of the start-up
• Understand local culture and mentality.Understand local culture and mentality.

23. The golden rules of the start-upThe golden rules of the start-up
• Carefully select employees on the basis of theirCarefully select employees on the basis of their
personal and professional qualitiespersonal and professional qualities
All projects needAll projects need peoplepeople..
Without the right individualsWithout the right individuals
a project will never beara project will never bear
fruit: there is no supermanfruit: there is no superman
or wonderwoman able toor wonderwoman able to
do everything on his or herdo everything on his or her
own and a project is neverown and a project is never
a “one man show”.a “one man show”.
Finding the best people theFinding the best people the
area can offer is crucial.area can offer is crucial.

24. The golden rules of the start-upThe golden rules of the start-up
• Have an open attitude towards the localHave an open attitude towards the local
communitycommunity
No foreigner starting up aNo foreigner starting up a
non-profit activity in anon-profit activity in a
remote provincial town ofremote provincial town of
an Eastern country will bean Eastern country will be
welcomed with open arms.welcomed with open arms.
We must letWe must let our workour work
speak for usspeak for us and not giveand not give
in to despair in the face ofin to despair in the face of
criticism and (oftencriticism and (often
terrible) accusations thatterrible) accusations that
will be going around.will be going around.
Establishing a relationshipEstablishing a relationship
of trust takesof trust takes time and atime and a
great deal of patiencegreat deal of patience..

25. The golden rules of the start-upThe golden rules of the start-up
• Give voice to the project through the web andGive voice to the project through the web and
create acreate a communitycommunity of supporters, right fromof supporters, right from
the beginning.the beginning.
• Finding the necessary financial resources isFinding the necessary financial resources is
impossible in a country like Romania. For thisimpossible in a country like Romania. For this
reason, we must bring Romania “in the homes”reason, we must bring Romania “in the homes”
of those who can finance the project, even ifof those who can finance the project, even if
they are far away.they are far away.
• CommunicationCommunication (in the form of a personal(in the form of a personal
journal at first and a website afterwards) isjournal at first and a website afterwards) is
critical in creating interest and followers.critical in creating interest and followers.

26. If you do extraordinary things butIf you do extraordinary things but
nobody knows, it is as if you werenobody knows, it is as if you were
doing nothing at all.doing nothing at all.

27. At the beginning: be content!At the beginning: be content!
The ideal post-surgery area…The ideal post-surgery area… …… our post-surgery area! (2003)our post-surgery area! (2003)

28. The operating theatre of our dreams…The operating theatre of our dreams…

29. …… our operating theatre. (2002)our operating theatre. (2002)

30. The pens we would all like to have…The pens we would all like to have…

31. …… our enclosures in 2002.our enclosures in 2002.

32. Second step: consolidationSecond step: consolidation
• After 3-4 years of relentless work, you shouldAfter 3-4 years of relentless work, you should
stopstop and ask yourselves a series of questions:and ask yourselves a series of questions:
• Have our facilities evolved for the better or haveHave our facilities evolved for the better or have
they remained the same?they remained the same?
Have we set ourselves the target of improvingHave we set ourselves the target of improving
them?them?

33. The most important thing is…The most important thing is…
to evolve!to evolve!
Our pounds in 2010Our pounds in 2010

34. Our operating theatre in 2007Our operating theatre in 2007

35. The enclosures in 2009The enclosures in 2009

36. Second step: consolidationSecond step: consolidation
• Have weHave we collectedcollected datadata on the situation andon the situation and
our work?our work?
-- In 2002 there were about 2,000 strays inIn 2002 there were about 2,000 strays in
Cernavoda. In 2010 the strays are betweenCernavoda. In 2010 the strays are between
500 and 600.500 and 600.
-- The animals housed in the shelter increasedThe animals housed in the shelter increased
from 60 to 400.from 60 to 400.
-- The animals that have been neutered to dateThe animals that have been neutered to date
(October 2010) are 8,300.(October 2010) are 8,300.
-- In 2009 the animals that have beenIn 2009 the animals that have been rehomedrehomed
abroad were 677.abroad were 677.

37. Second step: consolidationSecond step: consolidation
Have we focused on the right things or have weHave we focused on the right things or have we
wasted ourwasted our resourcesresources running after variousrunning after various
help requests and emergencies?help requests and emergencies?

38. Identify priorities andIdentify priorities and
do not leave the trackdo not leave the track
TThe situations requiring assistance in a country like Romaniahe situations requiring assistance in a country like Romania
are endless.are endless.
Our resourcesOur resources (human, of time, financial)(human, of time, financial) are limitedare limited..
We must be aware of it!We must be aware of it!

39. Priorities: more head and less heartPriorities: more head and less heart
In this respect:In this respect:
• too many people or small groups waste theirtoo many people or small groups waste their
resources without “making a project”resources without “making a project”
• the only actions that do impact on a tragic realitythe only actions that do impact on a tragic reality
such as the one in Romania are the ones thatsuch as the one in Romania are the ones that
areare plannedplanned and built day by day in the mediumand built day by day in the medium
to long termto long term
• everything else becomes a noble gesture witheverything else becomes a noble gesture with
no real impact on reality or is emotionalno real impact on reality or is emotional
outburst, personal complacency or (at worst)outburst, personal complacency or (at worst)
advertising aimed at naïve foreign donorsadvertising aimed at naïve foreign donors

40. Second step: consolidationSecond step: consolidation
Have we attached enough importance toHave we attached enough importance to
networking?networking?

41. NetworkingNetworking
It is essential to create aIt is essential to create a network of partnersnetwork of partners whowho
can contribute to the growth of the project and lookcan contribute to the growth of the project and look
elsewhere for help and know-how.elsewhere for help and know-how.
Your opening up to relationships with other NGOsYour opening up to relationships with other NGOs
will greatly benefit the animals.will greatly benefit the animals.
Conversely, if you remain by yourselves, your workConversely, if you remain by yourselves, your work
will have a very limited impact on the reality in whichwill have a very limited impact on the reality in which
you move.you move.

42. NetworkingNetworking
• In 2002, Save the Dogs had only a few ItalianIn 2002, Save the Dogs had only a few Italian
shelters as partners.shelters as partners.
• In 2007, its partners were a Swedish association,In 2007, its partners were a Swedish association,
a Dutch one and a group of shelters based in thea Dutch one and a group of shelters based in the
North of Italy.North of Italy.
• In 2010, Save the Dogs can count on partnersIn 2010, Save the Dogs can count on partners
from England (equines), Italy, Holland, Sweden,from England (equines), Italy, Holland, Sweden,
Finland and about twenty shelters based in theFinland and about twenty shelters based in the
North and in the centre of Italy.North and in the centre of Italy.

43. Second step: consolidationSecond step: consolidation
No doubt that expenditure is increasing. Is incomeNo doubt that expenditure is increasing. Is income
proportionally increasing as well?proportionally increasing as well?

44. Income, a shared problemIncome, a shared problem
• InIn 20032003 our associationour association
spent € 20,000 in Romania.spent € 20,000 in Romania.
• InIn 20052005 the figure went asthe figure went as
high as € 50,000.high as € 50,000.
• InIn 20072007 it reached € 192,000it reached € 192,000..

45. Second step: consolidationSecond step: consolidation
Where am I, as a person, the most useful to theWhere am I, as a person, the most useful to the
project?project?

46. Where am I needed the most?Where am I needed the most?
After the initial phase in which we do everythingAfter the initial phase in which we do everything
we can, it is important to ask ourselves whatwe can, it is important to ask ourselves what ourour
own characteristicsown characteristics are to better understandare to better understand
where we can make the most of our own personalwhere we can make the most of our own personal
resources. Not everyone is suitable for the sameresources. Not everyone is suitable for the same
things!things!
If I had stayed in Romania, I would have probablyIf I had stayed in Romania, I would have probably
been finished after the first three years...been finished after the first three years...

47. Like this…Like this…

48. Instead…Instead…

49. But do not ever relinquish control!But do not ever relinquish control!
• Appointment of a Director General in RomaniaAppointment of a Director General in Romania
• Well-defined organization chartWell-defined organization chart
• Creating rules of procedure and workingCreating rules of procedure and working
protocolsprotocols
• System of penalties and bonuses based onSystem of penalties and bonuses based on
strictstrict meritocracymeritocracy
• Continuous monthly visitsContinuous monthly visits

50. Investing in the fundraisingInvesting in the fundraising
With the opening of the Milan office, thatWith the opening of the Milan office, that
gradually shifted from 1 to 4 people,gradually shifted from 1 to 4 people,
Save the Dogs went from a budget of €Save the Dogs went from a budget of €
159,000 in 2005 to one of € 770,000 in159,000 in 2005 to one of € 770,000 in
2009 (+ 480%).2009 (+ 480%).

51. After 8 years of CNR in Romania,After 8 years of CNR in Romania,
I realized that...I realized that...
 Things are much more difficult than IThings are much more difficult than I
expected at first.expected at first.
 A great deal of idealism and too little studying!A great deal of idealism and too little studying!

52. The Romanian societyThe Romanian society
We canWe can stimulate changestimulate change butbut we cannotwe cannot
determine itdetermine it: without a change of mentality: without a change of mentality
(and, thus, of the institutions, that are a reflection(and, thus, of the institutions, that are a reflection
of society), things will not change and we willof society), things will not change and we will
remain pioneers in a land that does notremain pioneers in a land that does not
understand us. It takes a very longunderstand us. It takes a very long timetime and weand we
are laying the foundations for a better society,are laying the foundations for a better society,
but we will probably not see its outcome.but we will probably not see its outcome.

53. PrecariousnessPrecariousness
The outcome of your work is not only in your hands,The outcome of your work is not only in your hands,
but also in those of the authorities.but also in those of the authorities. Mayors change,Mayors change,
and with them the destiny of your projectand with them the destiny of your project..
You must always be ready for painful turns,You must always be ready for painful turns,
determined by a change of the representativesdetermined by a change of the representatives
within the institutions.within the institutions.
In those times we must grit our teeth, waiting forIn those times we must grit our teeth, waiting for
better times, and continue steadily, without losingbetter times, and continue steadily, without losing
heart.heart.

54. ConclusionsConclusions
• A good project is likeA good project is like a small enterprisea small enterprise: it must be: it must be
managed using ourmanaged using our heartheart but also ourbut also our headhead, investing, investing
in the professionalism of our staff and paying greatin the professionalism of our staff and paying great
attention to budget and communication.attention to budget and communication.
• In developing countries, without the cooperation of theIn developing countries, without the cooperation of the
authoritiesauthorities, we can patch things up but we cannot, we can patch things up but we cannot
sort out the endemic problem of stray animals. Wesort out the endemic problem of stray animals. We
must be aware of this to avoid disappointmentmust be aware of this to avoid disappointment..
• Do not ever think of being the best: we can learn a lotDo not ever think of being the best: we can learn a lot
from the others. Dialogue andfrom the others. Dialogue and collaborationcollaboration withwith
other NGOs are vital.other NGOs are vital.

55. http://www.youtube.com/user/savethedogs1#phttp://www.youtube.com/user/savethedogs1#p/