A Partnership Built Over More Than Five Years

Although Thistle Paws is a newly established rescue, our team has been working closely with Suceava Shelter for over five years through previous rescue efforts. This long-standing connection means we know the team personally, trust their work completely, and have a deep understanding of the daily challenges they face.

About The Suceava Shelter

Suceava Shelter, located in rural Romania, takes in dogs who have nowhere else to turn, including street dogs, those rescued from public kill shelters, and dogs abandoned at the shelter gates. The shelter has a maximum capacity of 300 dogs. Once this limit is reached, local council regulations require euthanasia to control numbers. Every day brings a new wave of arrivals, often frightened, injured, or severely neglected. Despite extremely limited resources, the team never stops fighting to give each dog a chance at safety and survival.

How Your Donations Help Suceava

Your support allows us to continue working alongside a shelter we know and deeply trust. Donations directly contribute to the essential day-to-day care and long-term survival of the dogs, including providing food for hundreds of dogs, emergency veterinary treatment, vaccinations, blood tests and microchipping, parasite control and ongoing medication, improvements to shelter conditions, as well as harnesses, leads, and basic socialisation work. They also help with preparation for travel to the UK, giving dogs the best possible chance of leaving the shelter safely and starting a new life.

From Shelter To Safety

While at the shelter, donations help provide food for hundreds of dogs, support neutering and sterilisation campaigns to reduce overcrowding, and fund essential day-to-day care such as medication, parasite treatment, and basic needs.

From there, donations also help cover the costs of preparation for travel, including health checks, vaccinations, microchipping, and transport runs that allow dogs to leave the shelter and begin their journey to safety, whether that be their forever home or in foster care.

Veterinary Care & Medical Support

Veterinary treatment is one of our largest and most critical ongoing expenses. Donations directly fund vaccinations and health checks, spaying and neutering, parasite control, medication, and urgent treatment for injuries, infections, and long-term medical conditions.

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us continue providing this essential care and gives each dog the chance to recover, heal, and move forward towards a better future

Our Foster Homes

A large part of our rescue work takes place in foster homes, where dogs are given the chance to decompress, recover, and learn what it feels like to be safe in a home environment. Donations play a vital role in making this possible.

When a dog enters foster care, they often arrive with very little. Your support helps us provide everything they need to settle in and thrive, including leads, harnesses, collars, toys, food, and comfortable bedding. These essentials help ensure each dog feels secure and cared for from day one.

Donations also go towards ongoing veterinary care, flea and worm treatments, and any medical support a dog may need while in foster. Some dogs require additional support, whether that’s routine treatment or more complex ongoing care, and your generosity helps us cover these costs without delay.

We also use donations to support transport between locations, as well as access to secure free-run fields where dogs can safely exercise, build confidence, and enjoy time off-lead in a controlled environment.