After 4 years and near 450 dogs rehabilitated we have decided that it will no longer be possible for us to continue to run the little organisation that has come to mean so much to us. Caroline, Maud Kristine and myself are now finishing up our chapter in Budapest and realise that it is near impossible to run an oganisation abroad. We have also realised that it would be too much to demand of any student to take over the administration of the organisation, however we hope we can inspire others to start up in a similar way.
We are so very grateful for all the supporters of Budadogs. The girls who have run endless errands and used their skills and resources to make the organisation what it is today, the hundereds of fostercarers and organisational helpers who have been with us through this period of both heart ache and joy. – We thank them all!
Budadogs has changed our lives. It has taught us humility, sensitivity and helped us realise that every effort counts. It might be a drop in the ocean as far as animal welfare is concerned, but ever since we started up 4 years ago we have said that if we can rescue just one dog, it will mean all the difference to that one beating heart.
Periodically it has been tough. We have been hated and loved simultaneously. Our intentions have been questioned, our methods scrutinized, oue name attempted sullied by other Hungarian organisations. We have sacrificed study time, familiy time, recreational time and our student lives have been far from the norm. When others were out enjoying themselves or studying for exams, we were out chasing lost dogs, cold dogs, frightened dogs, wounded dogs or driving emergency cases to the vets. Some of the cruelty cases have been desperate and unimaginable and we have cried endless tears.
That said, we have never let the desperation get to us and our focus has always remained on the dogs in our care. At one point we had close to 100 dogs in fosterhomes in Budapest at once, which meant practically full time work. This is because physically rescuing the dog is the easy part. It is the rewarding part and the enjoyable part. Finding a lost dog, knowing it needs your immediate care and taking it into the warmth is the most rewarding part of all! It`s the rehabilitation that is the hard part! It is organising the care, the fosterhomes, making sure that each individual dogs need is catered to, each illness is treated, each broken bone mended, each medication is administered, each bloodtest is followed up, each vaccination is on time, each behavioural issue is given individual care that is the actual work. The night time calls from crying fostercarers about sick dogs, the emergency trips to the vets, the unimaginable fear in the dog that leaves it paralyzed and subsequently our job finding a way to let the dog know that it can be free of this fear, knowing that each case is different and there is no ”one cure”. This is where the real work has been and this is what Budadogs has been all about. Not simply picking up dogs and sending them to new homes, but giving each dog the individual care that it so desperately requires before we could even begin to think about what kind of home would be suitable.
And it has been worth every second and we are so delighted everytime we see a photograph or receive feedback about one of our dogs. Each dog has meant something to us, because the rehabilitation of each dog has been different. Each dog has shown signs of it`s past, and each dog has taugh us, through it`s unspoken story, something unique.
Budadogs has also taught us that we most definitely will continue down the path of animal welfare and it is a line of work we will continue down. It has taught us about team work, pressure, sorrow and joy. The bonds we have created with each other through this work are extremely strong and we look forward to continue to work together in future.
So, as of autumn 2012 we will no longer be running as an organisation. It is a bitter-sweet realisation, And at the moment we are not taking in any new dogs, but only exceptionally. We hope that we have inspired students to open their eyes to the animal cruelty around us, not only in Hungary, and we know that they have already started to help and foster for our dear friend Zsanett at FAPF, who has been our close friend and colleague for many years now and who does invaluable work for the hundereds of homeless dogs in her area. Many of our rescues have been dogs taken from Zsanett´s area and we hope everyone will continue to help, support and foster her dogs.
We would also like to point out that there are dogs in Norway being euthanised regularly for no particular, or insufficient reasons. At sell out places such as finn.no there are constantly dogs being given away because owners have decided they no longer have the time/energy/resources to give the dog ”what it needs”. Additionally organisations such as FOD (foreningen for omplassering av dyr) do an invaluable job with rescue and rehoming.
Please continue to spread the word of adoption! We will most definitely see you all again soon!
All our Love,
The Budadogs girls
