The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Fifers help dog rescuer injured in road accident
Claudiu Ciurea is well known at Cowdenbeath shelter
Shell-shocked Fifers are raising funds for a much-loved Romanian man critically injured after returning from a mission to deliver rescued stray dogs to a shelter in the kingdom.
Claudiu Ciurea, 35, spent nine days in an induced coma and had to have a leg amputated after a horrific road accident while he was driving a van for dog transport service Travel 4 Paws.
Just days earlier he had dropped off eight dogs to Cowdenbeath animal shelter Fife Dog Rescue and Rehoming.
The dogs had been transported from Romania, where they were at risk of mistreatment.
Fife Dog Rescue and Rehoming is helping to raise money towards Mr Ciurea’s medical bills.
Its director Monica Connor said: “We got to know Claudiu well. He’s a lovely guy.
“To think of the amount of dogs he’s transported who are now in loving homes. He’s done a lot for the dogs.”
Animal lovers are rallying round to help a Romanian man who was critically injured after delivering rescue dogs to Fife.
Claudiu Ciurea, 35, was working for transportation service Travel 4 Paws when he was involved in a road crash near the Romanian town of Timisoara.
Just days before, he had delivered eight rescue dogs from Romania to the Fife Dog Rescue and Rehoming animal shelter in Cowdenbeath. Thanks to his efforts, five of the dogs have already found new homes.
Mr Ciurea, who lives in Bucharest with his wife Diana and two-year-old daughter, spent nine days in an induced coma after suffering devastating injuries. His left leg had to be amputated.
A fundraising campaign has been launched to help meet his medical bills and pay for a prosthetic leg.
His boss at North Lincolnshire-based Travel 4 Paws, Paul Fairbrother, who was at his hospital bedside in Romania, said his condition had improved since he was admitted just over a week ago.
“His wife was thinking the worst,” said Mr Fairbrother.
“We were all thinking the worst. Seeing him there was unbelievable.
“He’s coming round now, but as you can imagine he’s been in a coma for nine days.”
Stray dogs rounded up in Romania can suffer horrendous mistreatment in the country’s animal shelters.
Mr Ciurea helped transport the dogs to the UK, where organisations like Fife Dog Rescue and Rehoming find them loving homes.
“Claudiu is absolutely brilliant and would do anything for you,” said Mr Fairbrother.
“He’s such a proud man. He said he didn’t want any help, but money being raised will help towards his medical bills.”
Fife Dog Rescue and Rehoming has already raised £410 and is accepting donations through PayPal using the email fifedogrescue@gmail.com
Monica Connor, director of the Fife animal shelter, said: “We got to know Claudiu well. He’s a lovely guy.
“To think of the amount of dogs he’s transported who are now in loving homes. He’s done a lot for the dogs.
“We just want to make sure the money gets to him to help with his medical bills or a prosthetic leg.”