DOG RESCUER
nicknamed “kill shelters” – where they were waiting to be put down. The UK Pack Project is now planning legal action to recoup fundraising money it donated to the shelter.
UNCOVERED
A Project spokeswoman said: “We went to Brasov to make a formal police complaint about Bogdan Cepiou of Rainbow Shelter last week and we are pursuing a legal case against him.”
Cepoiu, who is in his thirties, was questioned after Helen flew out with an animal welfare charity boss to give statements last week. Regional police and officials from the Brasov Veterinary Sanitary Division confirmed they were investigating what Katrina and Helen had uncovered at the shelter.
A police spokesman said: “Policemen at the Prejmer station have been notified that a number of dog cadavers were found in the village.
“On the basis of a complaint, a task force was set up and moved to the designated location, with on- site research being carried out. The building was sealed and specialists will carry out thorough research and sampling.
“We are carrying out investigations into the offence of killing animals intentionally, without right.” Roman- ian dog rescue is big business in Britain since the EU made it easier to bring in animals in 2012.
It is not known exactly how many dogs are imported from Eastern European countries as Government statistics on dog imports include commercially bred puppies.
But in 2014, 2,616 dogs were brought in, while the figure was 15,548 last year.
Helen, of Littlehampton, West Sussex, is now warning fellow animal lovers to be careful about giving money to organisations they know little about. She said: “Anyone thinking of making donations to foreign animal welfare needs to thoroughly research the organisation and its charitable trust. And they need to find out evidence of how the money is spent.”
Katrina is just glad that something is being done about what she and her mum uncovered. She is so glad she managed to rescue Angel.
“I’m so glad that 16 were saved alive,” she says.
“But I just feel sorry for all the animals that starved to death there after I left.”
The dogs were in a terrible state. They were fighting each other for scraps of food KATRINA NEVE ON WHAT SHE SAW AT ROMANIAN DOG SHELTER