Giurgiu (Romania)/Stuttgart. Next animal welfare scandal: After a major exposure and months of efforts by local animal welfare organizations and PETA's Romanian partners, the “Uzunu” dog killing station run by the company Aspa Ivets in Giurgiu was closed by the authorities and should never be allowed to reopen. However, there are still almost 240 dogs on site, which are barely cared for by just two employees. Because of a lack of medical help, food and support, the four-legged friends suffer from illnesses, injure each other and die in agony. In a letter, PETA calls on the relevant authorities and policymakers in Romania to immediately take all measures required by law to immediately help the dogs on site. The animal rights organization speaks of an acute animal protection case.
“The approximately 240 dogs left behind are suffering and dying in agony after the closure of this horror place. They are hardly cared for, are emaciated, sick, injure each other and struggle to survive. Photos show the completely exhausted four-legged friends, neglected and defenseless, waiting for their painful death. The Romanian authorities must immediately take responsibility and care,” said Harald Ullmann, CEO of PETA Germany.
“It is the moral duty of the authorities and the Romanian state to act now and no longer look the other way,” said Jana Hoger, deputy project manager of PETA HELPS ROMANIA. “The situation is an acute animal welfare emergency. Every additional day means avoidable suffering, avoidable torment and avoidable deaths.”
Background information:
Public money finances a deadly system
PETA, together with its local partners, is constantly in contact with the responsible authorities and political leaders in Romania. A comprehensive study on street dog management, first conducted in 2021 and updated in February 2026, shows: Between 2001 and 2025, around 2.758 million dogs were captured in Romania. Of these, 1.285 million were killed or died in animal shelters from disease, lack of care or starvation. Around 1.012 billion euros of public money were spent on this system.
PETA HELPS ROMANIA:
a charitable animal protection project
The PETA HELPS ROMANIA team has been working on site 365 days a year for the animals in Romania for over seven years. The focus of the project is political work to advocate for humane treatment of dogs at this level. In the educational sector, empathy and compassion for all animals should be strengthened as part of animal protection work. Last but not least, this also includes the castration of dogs and cats and their medical care. Since the project began, around 80,000 animals have been helped. 16,000 children have taken part in PETA's animal protection classes in recent years.
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