Sadly, the same story repeats itself over and over again: a mother dog with her abandoned puppies, condemned from their very first day to a life of suffering. In Cetariu, our team had to step in to rescue a mother and her six little ones.

The intervention was not without risks. The mother, desperate and fearful, defended her puppies with all her strength. She attacked several times in her attempt to protect them. In the end, we managed to catch them all and bring them to safety. Now we are caring for 7 new lives: one mother and six puppies. Seven hungry mouths, seven lives depending entirely on human kindness and responsibility.

The question we cannot avoid is: will we ever change?

For years we have been stressing the importance of neutering, yet we keep hearing the same excuses:

• “Sterilization is a sin.”

• “She must give birth at least once.”

• “I just want ONE puppy from her.”

And when inevitably 6–8 puppies are born, the rest are thrown onto the streets or pushed into overcrowded shelters. The result? A vicious cycle of suffering, where dogs have no real chance at a normal life.

This is not normal. This is not acceptable.

Every missed sterilization, every abandonment means more lives condemned. A mother and her puppies should not have to be “rescued at the last moment.” They should only have been born if there was a real, responsible plan for their future.

It is time for the whole community to understand: neutering is not optional, it is the only humane and responsible solution.