Therapy for Baby

Well, the last time I wrote I was about to go back to Sibiu, that pretty town in Transylvania that we held some clinics in. I meant to actually see some of it this time as well as help the "Animal Life" volunteers at their shelter and maybe help an abused dog recover emotionally. I jumped on a train and left the traffic and noise of Bucharest and headed for greener parts of Romania.

The train passed the "Transylvanian Alps", those huge mountains with snow still on them that branch out from the Carpathians. Otilia, one of the animal rescue girls, and her friend Gabi kindly picked me up that evening at the train station and brought me to Andreea's (who was out of town) grandmother's house where I stayed. It's a nice little place not too far from the town center, a bit old but equipped with all the comforts, including 14-foot ceilings, rock-solid interior walls and doors, and neighborhood roosters that crow at odd hours of the night and day. It even has the traditional "eye" window in the roof, unique to the Sibiu area. And notice no front door? For privacy, I guess.
We were greeted by "Grandma", a sweet little lady who kinda reminds me of Mom, and an Irish Setter being fostered there. I was shown into a little parlor with a day-bed where I would sleep. The dog that was beaten and is unapproachable is kept in back, where a fenced courtyard adjoins some neighbors' gardens. Though it was dark I wanted to see her; she was locked in what used to be a chicken coop-- basically a shed with fencing on the front. Unfortunately it was necessary for the meanwhile, but I knew that the first thing I wanted to do the next day was get her out of the damned thing.
Before we were even in sight I could hear her barkng at our voices. Inside the coop was a little black dog of uncertain ancestry, possibly of corgi-shepherd origins; she has funny short legs like my dog Henny had, and a cute shepherd face. They told me she had been beaten so badly she wouldn't look up at anyone and bit one Andreea. She barked nonstop at us while we were there, and as it was getting late "Otie" and Gabi took me out to dinner at Gabi's restaurant, a nice little place in town with outdoor seating (a good thing for me as lots of people smoke here!)
That night they dropped me off at the house and the Irish Setter forced her way out of the garage to greet me, and of course wanted to follow me inside. I hated to leave her out in the courtyard but didn't want to take liberties at the lady's house the first night. But the dog sat outside on the doorstep whining in a very human-like way, so I soon gave in and snuck her into my room, where we shared the day-bed for the night! Early the next morning I slipped her outside again.
Then I went to see the black dog, and of course she started barking at me. The first photo clearly shows the fear in her eyes. I could go into a long explanation of how I befriended her, but to make a long story short by the end of the day she was snoozing happily in the sun outside her coop. At midday Grandma called me in to lunch ("Kommen Sie"-- she speaks German as well as Romanian, so we could do some basic communication). She treated me to some very good home-made soup and a sort of spinach-and-cream on potatoes--delicious! After lavishly praising it in what little German I could remember ("Wunderbar!") I asked to take a little of it out to the dog. Baby wasn't too interested in it, but I noticed something else: she never barked this time as I approached, and in fact seemed much more calm.
I got permission to keep the Setter in my room that night, thanks to Sanda, another volunteer who dropped by and helped me ask grandma to let the dog in. It turned out the Setter is another stray that they're keeping at her house. The poor thing is just starving for love and the joy she shows at being allowed to stay in my little room is amazing.
The next day I helped the volunteers put in some fence posts at the shelter all day, so I only saw the dogs first thing in the morning and late that night. The Animal Life shelter is a temporary sanctuary for about 60 dogs that the group has rescued; it has no running water or power, but built completely by volunteers, and provides a safe haven for many of Sibiu's street dogs, as well as a nice little cat area too. They took what was a field and turned it into a green sanctuary for abandoned animals. The amazing thing is that the volunteers have all done it with absolutely no town or county government support, they just do it because, as Otie says with a shrug, "Somebody has to." I think that says it all. These people are my heroes!
We sectioned off some new enclosures so they could separate the rest of dogs that now roam free in the main enclosure. This should help prevent the spread of infection and make for easier management and less fights. It was hot, tiring work but it felt good to get it done. That night the Setter (I've taken to calling her Lady Rosta [pronounced "Roshta"], Romanian for red) was positively ecstatic to get out of the garage and into my room. Baby barked at me, but more of an excited, "Where the heck have you been all day?" kind of bark.
Over the next days we fell into a routine: in the morning I would let them out and feed them, and have my breakfast out on the patio, usually juice, fruit, and honey and a white cheese (like feta, only not salty) on some wonderful local bread. I always made sure to give some to the dogs; Baby loved it and I hope it helps the Setter's flaky coat. Baby was still cautious of me but got a little better day by day. She even seemed a bit playful when I let her out. She really is a feisty little thing. I got her a stuffed animal from Andreea as a toy which she sleeps with.
I spent the next two days working at the Animal Life shelter, building a doghouse and doing misc. work like grooming a dog that had incredibly thick, long hair and bad skin. It's getting treated by one of the vets we worked with, the one who in fact owns the land lent for the shelter. That night I met Anka, another volunteer, and her friends at a nice piano bar in town. One of her friends is an emergency room physician and it was interesting to hear about how he works alongside American doctors who teach them the latest ER techniques. Then Sanda showed me around the town of Subiu for my last few days, visiting churches, back streets, and even a half-day at a great open-air collection of traditional Romanian houses. I was also lucky because it was International Arts Festival week in Sibiu and there were all kinds of interesting (and often unusual) free shows on the town square.

I continued to spend mornings on the patio with the dogs, making sure to give Baby some special treats (eggs or cheese, mosty). The neighbors have some chickens and brought over some fresh eggs that were wonderful hard-boiled. They even own a cow and bring Grandma farm-fresh milk in those old-style milk bottles, but it tasted too grassy for me.
The last few mornings Baby really started getting friendly, running around happily and waiting for me to feed her. She's still too cautious of me to let me touch her, though. I would have liked to pet her just once, but I've done all I can for now. I also took Rosta for a long walk into town the last day, making sure to stop and pet her whenever there were kids around, encouraging the local kids to do the same. They were mostly curious about her, but infortunately I couldn't answer their questions in Romanian! But I think it's important to teach them that animals, especially dogs, are not dangerous and should be treated kindly. I also picked up trash in the local park while the residents watched me. Some mothers were smiling at me by the time I left and one thanked me; I hoped to "lead by example"-- and I hope they didn't just think I was some weird American tourist!
When I finally had to leave that morning it was hard to say goodbye to them. It was very hard to lock them back up before I left. I know they'll get taken care of, but I hope Baby continues to get her "therapy", and Rosta finds a good home. (Note: dogs can be sent to the U.S. fairly easily and cheaply; please leave a note for me if you're interested in adopting either one. )
Next: On to Budapest!

More on Romania

Buna (hello)!
Well, by now Dr. Rick and Nancy are home the 'Frisco Bay area, Cristina's back in Buzau with her mom; I'm the only one left of the "Romaniacs" here in Bucharest. Sorry I haven't written lately, but I've had literally no time, what with getting up early for a day of travel or spaying and going out to dinner afterwards to unwind and drink a well-earned beer or two. We all left for Sibiu, the walled town I spoke of last time, after a long day of driving in the van which held us and our supplies & luggage (luckily Nancy and Cristina arranged for a driver, a Bucharest taxi driver named Dan who spoke a little English and smoked too much! His motto: "Don't worry, be happy.). We had to pass over the Carpathian mountains and through part of Transylvania, so you can imagine some of the views were quite awesome! There are still lots of horse-drawn carts to be seen in the fields and along the highways; perhaps the last generation to use them. I tried to get some pictures, but didn't get much with my camera which only seems to focus when it's in the mood (I just bought a new one, so the next batch should be fine). Anyway, that evening we strolled the main pedestrianized avenue in the Old Town, a street that has been beautifully restored ever since the communists did their best to make everything ugly. For instance, Rick and I both noticed that some places that must have once been pretty riverside villages now had hulking abandoned factories straddling the streams. (They seem to have taken the "Saruman" approach to modernizing the country.)

But inside the walls, the town hasn't lost its Transylvanian charm, and for a few precious evenings we were able to roam the streets and stop by little wine bars and such inside old fortress-like buildings, or relax at tables outside the many cafes along the street or the expansive main square, the Piata (plaza) Mare. My photos probably don't do it justice.
It wasn't all fun and drinks, though. For three solid days we held spay clinics (dogs only-- cats are not really a problem here) to both teach local vets the new techniques and to spay as many dogs as possible. The local animal rescue people were the best we've met. A group of young twenty-something people (mostly girls) in the area have banded together to try to fix Sibiu's street dog problem by both founding their own shelter (very rudimentary now, but the best they can do on their own funds), and trying to change the outmoded animal welfare laws. One of them, Sanda, sued the local government when they tried to use barbaric killing methods on the dogs, and actually won! The rest were also fantastic, especially their young "leaders" Adreea Roseti (a distant relative, perhaps?) and Otilia Pana, who used their vacation days to take off work to bring the dogs to us and help in their preparation and recovery (even our driver Dan helped). They also made sure we were well taken care of too, by bringing food & drink to the clinics and taking us out afterwards. Of course, Nancy & Cristina, our sponsors, refused to let them pay for dinners, but you gotta give them credit for trying! The even sweetly gave Rick & I traditional wooden flasks full of a strong traditional drink reminiscent of moonshine as souvenirs.
We stayed in a cute little pensiunea (a sort of cross between bed & breakfast and little hotel) with a house "Mama" who let us use her washing machine for our laundry, hanging them up in the huge attic to dry. The rooms were nice and the staff friendly. We also visited a local shelter which was one of the best around, but still left a bit to be desired, as the photo may show.

Nancy fell in love with a puppy there (Just look at him: can you blame her?), and I suspect the feeling was mutual, but she is already taking seven home with her and couldn't take this one, so we can only hope that someone will adopt it (although not many people adopt shelter dogs here like back home-- they all want fancy breeds, mostly so they can make money from them.)

At another shelter we spotted a heartbreaking case of an old, thin, lame dog (pictured) just barely alive that we all agreed was beyond help and was euthanised. Blind in one eye and dangling a rear leg, it was amazing it had survived as long as it did. Fortunately most of the dogs looked pretty healthy and we hope that this was a rare exception.

On the way to the shelter we spotted a momma dog and her puppies on the side of the road, but a car was there with them so we kept going. On the way back we found only the pups, so we brought them back to Sibiu, where the rescue girls gladly took them in. They ate hungrily and slept during our afternoon clinic! It was a good thing for them we found them; it poured all afternoon and night, and much of the next day.
The clinics were interesting, to say the least. I learned some new things, like how to shave the dog's tummies with an old razor blade until Cristina came back with some electric clippers she bought (we donated them to the rescue people when we left). I also got pretty good at sedating dogs with xylazine and ketamine (older drugs in the U.S.), and figuring out doses myself by weight-- we managed to keep them asleep just long enough for the surgeries without the need for anesthetic gas, something nonexistant in vet clinics here. Other things they do without: autoclaves (they sterilize their instruments in solutions; we used a pressure cooker ingeniously adapted by Dr. Rick), X-ray machines (never mind ultrasound machines), or just about any modern diagnostic piece of equipment.taken for granted in the west. Surgery tables were sometimes made of glass (probably adapted kitchen tables) and usually stashed in the backs of tiny rooms with minimal lighting. Rick's surgical head lamp often came in handy! Even instrument tables had to usually be rigged from other things, and once the dogs had to be recovered outside-- until it started raining-- then they were crowded in the waiting room, which made things even more cozy!

I was so impressed with the Sibiu rescue people that I plan to go back there soon and do some training and help them in any way I can with their shelter. I'd also like to work with a dog I heard about that was beaten so badly by its previous owner it can't be approached now. One of the girl's grandmothers has it now, where I've been told I could stay for free while there; I'd like to see if I can tame it.
But first I'd like to see some more of Romania while I'm here. On the way back to Bucharest we bought some farm cheeses from the locals on the roadside, and stopped by one of the Royal castles in a beautiful mountain setting reminiscent of Neushwanstein. (Too bad all the photos of the actual palace turned out blurry, but I got some great pics of some statues!) Unfortunately we arrived too late to go inside, but got a fast tour of the courtyard and outside of it, thanks to Cristina. She also arranged for all of us to get professional massages our last day in Sibiu, a nice reward after three days of hard work. I've been resting in a litle apartment arranged for us by Livia, another Romanian animal supporter, but I've also been doing some touring around town, including the huge Parliamentary Palace, the second largest building in the world (second to the Pentagon). Tomorrow I hope to head back to Sibiu, and when not working there I plan to use it as a base to check out some other places in the area. There's also another vet who I haven't met yet who wants me to work with him, and I have to be in London by mid-June to meet another friend. I also promised Nancy to write the text for a children's book about a Romanian street dog, and I've got to help Livia with editing some campaign letters and such. Rick has also promised me a job in the San Francisco area whenever I get back. So I've still got some things to do. I'd better get started!
A Few Notes on Romania: The language sounds like a cross between Italian, Russian and a little Greek. For instance, "yes" is the Russian "da", but other words come directly from latin or Greek. It's a fascinating language I wish I had time to learn.
Transylvania is not the exotic, dark, scary place they picture it to be in the movies. It's simply the pretty heart of Romania, with wooded mountains, streams and villages, some little changed since medieval times. Horses often work beside tractors in the fields.
And in spite of what the local politicians may say, street dogs ARE a problem; you see them roaming in public from Bucharest to the smallest village, and along every highway in between. They are usually friendly, sometimes shy, and almost always eager for affection even more than for food. It's sad to see them sleeping on sidewalks and limping across the streets, some with injuries or birth defects, drinking from puddles and begging for food. One wonders how they manage to survive. They've probably been such a common sight for so long the Romanians hardly notice them anymore. But if Nancy and the rest have anything to say about it, they will hopefully eventually be safe in homes or shelters and off the streets for good.

Romania

Wow, where do I start about Romania? So much has happened in the past few days I can barely remember it all. I arrived at the airport in Bucharest and was approached by several taxi drivers, whom I ignored. But one, who seemed like an honest guy, finally convinced me that to get into town required two train changes and a bus, and he told me a price up front to take me directly to a hotel. So I jumped in and we had an interesting conversation about the state of Romania. He boiled it all down like this: Since the revolution, they have freedom, and more material goods in the stores, but not much money to buy anything! Which I'm finding out is true-- most of them make way less than people in the U.S., but housing costs the same here. Most still seem to live in the old communist apartment blocks that are everywhere. And the guidebook mentions that many people park on the sidewalks; I soon found out it was true!

Anyway, the hotel I chose was a bit expensive for me (for Romania) at 66 euros, but was pretty shoddy inside, and a long walk down dark sidewalks from the train station (which turned out to be a good place for sneaking pictures of people). The street lighting, and in fact lighting in many public areas, is minimal. It can make walking at night sometimes creepy. And when I popped out of the hotel to see if I could catch a bite to eat, hopefully some local Romanian food, the only restaurant open was a Chinese place that smelled strange, aside from the smokey interior, so I skipped it and bought some cookies and crackers from a convenience shop. While looking for it, I was approached by some friendly young teens who, when I asked if they knew "someplace to eat" brought me a young prostitute! I thanked them but said I was only hungry for food.

Did I mention people smoke EVERYwhere here? I noticed it as soon as I landed at the airport. There is no such thing as a "No Smoking" area, as far as I've seen. My guidebook even mentions a youth hostel that gives out free cigarettes. Anyone want to guess which large American corporation is behind that little bit of charity? I'm betting it starts wth "Phillip".

But the next morning the area looked much better; an old church across the street was even quite pretty. I caught a train to the town of Buzau, and had a great talk with a nice young college student named Florin, which (sad to say) is a guy's name here. He was a bit nervous about making his first trip soon to the U.S. where he'll spend the summer at Rehobeth Beach, Delaware, working at a Cold Stone Creamery. He speaks great english and will probably be lonely, so any of you east-coast ladies interested can go there and look for him-- I've included his picture here for you!

In Buzau I met Nancy Janes of Romania Animal Rescue, and Dr. Rick Bachman, a veterinarian, both donating their time to help teach local vets modern spay and neutering surgical techniques. The Romanian vet schools are a bit behind the times (for instance, they don't use spay hooks, a basic tool of spaying in the U.S. for years). Nancy and her Romanian-American friend Christina aren't in the medical field, but are primary supporters of this trip, and are invaluable help. Nancy has been coming to Romania for years (see her website http://www.romaniaanimalrescue.com/), and pretty much single-handedly founded the organization with her own time and money. When she's not crossing Romania working and meeting with people who can support her cause, she's raising funds back home in California. She also brings back lots of puppies and finds homes for them in the U.S. And Christina also donates her time and money, and is an invaluable translator and has many contacts in the country.

"Dr. Rick" is just incredible; while working with him I've watched him patiently and tirelessly teach local vets (with Christina's translation) in primitive conditions, and later over dinner talk with them about how it would benefit them to help with the stray dog problem, which many seem to either ignore or even think that stray dog overpopulation is good business for them. The Romanian government does next to nothing about it; their involvement is mostly periodic slaughters. Together Nancy, Rick and Christina do far more than the entire government of Romania! It's a real honor and a privilege to be able to travel and work with them. They've been supporting me as well, paying for my hotels and meals. In fact I haven't been able to spend a leu (Romanian currency worth about 30 cents) since I've hooked up with them! I took a picture from my hotel window of the town square next door with the odd but colorful blue and yellow building next to it-- a definite improvement over that hotel in Bucharest-- and no hookers outside the hotel!

When Nancy picked me up from the Buzau train station (where I had already made friends with a street dog in front of my bags), within a half hour I was helping with some spays at a local shelter run by a couple who use their entire back yard to house stray dogs (and one nervous cat!) The next day we drove to another town to train a couple of vets in Rick's techniques at their clinic. Then the third day we drove to a nearby city dog pound where the hospital supplies were almost nonexistant but with Rick's equipment and some fast scrambling, we managed to set up a fair surgical suite and recovery room. We only did five dogs that day, but trained two more vets, both of whom seemed very grateful. Every local vet who gets trained is one more who could be supporters of spay/neuter, instead of the government policy of ignoring the problem or periodic slaughter.
Tomorrow we drive to a much more distant town; it promises to be an interesting ride,over the Carpathians and across Transylvania. And I hear it's a walled city, which are always historic and beautiful. I'll write more from there!
P.S. Unfortunately, something's wrong with my camera and most of the pictures are slightly out of focus. I'll get some better ones from the others' cameras soon. And if anyone has any suggestions on how to fix my camera I'd love to hear from them!