Bodmin Dog Behaviourist Supports Romanian Shelter Caring for 500 Dogs

A dog behaviourist from Cornwall has travelled to Romania to support a shelter caring for more than 500 stray dogs.

Toby Craze, who runs Craze Dog Training, visited Speranța Shelter in Bucharest to see first-hand how the charity rescues, rehabilitates and rehomes dogs from across the country.

The 30-year-old from Bodmin met hundreds of dogs during his visit, including disabled and senior animals. Many had been rescued from Romania’s streets or from public shelters, where dogs can be euthanised in under 14 days.

A Shelter Offering Hope

Speranța, which means ‘hope’, operates a no-kill policy and focuses on sterilisation and education to reduce the country’s stray dog population. The charity has sterilised more than 200,000 animals to date.

Toby said: “Speranta Shelter blew me away, it is not easy to house hundreds of dogs. The fact every animal received the same unique care is phenomenal.

“The team could tell you about every single dog – their backgrounds and history, their struggles, their strengths, their personalities and preferences, their area in the shelter. Each dog was a member of the Speranta family.

“What really stood out to me was how Speranta prioritised adopting out the dogs locally, to homes within Romania. This is something I have rarely come across, as most organisations export dogs overseas, so to see successful adoptions happening in their home country, gave me optimism and confidence for the future.”

Supporting Dogs at Home and Abroad

Toby works mainly with Romanian street dogs adopted in the UK, using force-free training to help rehabilitate traumatised and reactive animals.

He also shares training advice through his Instagram account, where he posts guidance for owners alongside updates about his own dogs, George and Nova.

His interest in dog behaviour began after living in Thailand, where dogs roam freely, and later developed while working for a rescue rehoming Romanian dogs to the UK.

Toby said: “I work with many clients who struggle with their overseas rescues and naturally so, street dogs have been moulded by nature to thrive in a free-roaming environment.

“Although adopting an ex-street dog from abroad can be an incredible and rewarding process that I have seen succeed many times, we cannot deny it is often very difficult for most adopters.

“There are some amazing charities that export dogs from Romania and I work with a few, but unfortunately that is not the case across the board, and many dogs are making the huge journey across the world just to be made homeless again.

“I see Speranta paving the way for other organisations to see it is possible and it works for dogs to be rehomed in Romania.”

A Different Approach to Adoption

Rather than transporting dogs overseas, Speranța has developed a remote adoption programme. This allows people in the UK to support a dog’s lifelong care in Romania without adding pressure to British rescue centres.

Toby plans to return to Romania to continue supporting the shelter, sharing his experience with its behaviourists and helping with the rehabilitation of some of its dogs.

Calls for Animal Welfare Reform

Speranța’s lead vet and manager, Anca Tomescu, said rehabilitation is a key part of the shelter’s work.

She said: “We rescue some of the worst cases, with dogs who have suffered on the streets or in Romania’s public shelters.

“Our country is currently undergoing a much-needed animal welfare reform, which can’t come quick enough. Currently dogs in shelters can be euthanised within 14 days, and this is often through barbaric methods by beating or starvation.

“Many of the dogs we rescue have endured horrendous suffering, which is why we are so proud to have an on-site behaviourist and vet clinic. It was great for Toby to see our work and hear his insights and stories about working with adopted Romanian dogs. We are glad Romanian dogs have such an incredible advocate in the UK.

“We can’t wait to welcome Toby back to Speranta to share learnings between himself and our behaviourist team, to help even more dogs at the shelter.”

From Rescue to Reform

The shelter was founded in 2001 by Anca’s mother, Florina, after she rescued 300 dogs from a public centre where they were due to be euthanised.

Today, all dogs at Speranța are treated, neutered, microchipped and cared for on site until they are rehomed. The charity also works within communities on sterilisation, vaccination and education, while campaigning for wider animal welfare reform.

More information about the shelter, including its remote adoption programme and donation options, can be found on the Speranța Shelter website.