We are a non-profit located in Cășeiu village, Cluj County, Romania.
Vulnerability is the common language of children, elders, and animals everywhere – and we strive to be as fluent as possible in speaking it through even our smallest gestures. We are determined to stand by both people and animals, and our mission is anchored in the belief that the well-being of both can only be achieved through their connection. Since all species experience suffering – and suffering itself has many species – we make a daily commitment to tenderness, solidarity, and profound empathy towards those in need of support, shelter, and protection. Dumbrava is a physical location, but its fundamental existence lies in the network of mutual care fostered through each of our activities, whether they are playing games with children, fundraising, adoption campaigns for our four-legged friends, or any other initiative of ours.
In Cășeiu, children have no place to play, to spend their free time and there aren't many extracurricular activities for them. At Dumbrava, kids will find toys, games, educational materials, books and the opportunity to expand their horizons.
Dumbrava is also a safe place where children can ask for help, no matter what their problem is.
Many animals are abused or suffer, alone, in a shelter or on the streets. Some need physical recovery, other need behavioural therapy. We want to work with them and give them a chance to be adopted.
We also organise spaying campaigns, with the aim of reducing abandonment for dogs and cats. Working with the authorities is also one of our aims, to promote campaigns sponsored by them and reduce the number of contracts done with kill shelters.
Dumbrava lui Patrocle is not only a place for children and animals, like in the story by Mihail Sadoveanu, there are also the grandparents and other individuals, who, in Romania, also need help.
The help required ranges from going to doctors with people, buying groceries, buying medicine, helping people recover after disasters(like a burnt house).
More detailsMaybe it is hard to understand how all this ties together, but we cannot improve the situation for people and animals in Romania, if we don't teach children about the world around us, if they don't see how much animals suffer and how many people live with very little, without anyone caring for them.
From the beginning of Dumbrava, children have been involved in caring for the animals and also in our charity campaigns, where we visited older people, or people that due to health issues cannot do more for themselves. We've also introduced successful people to them, people that are working in other ways to improve the situation of people and animals from Romania.
We can see that in 3 years, the children became responsible teenagers, that dedicate their free time to projects that make the lives of the people around them better. In return, they learn new skills, they have a place to hang out and more importantly a place where they can ask for help, no matter what their problem is.
Președinte
Vicepreședinte
Secretar
We need volunteers for the activities that we have for the children, for our social-media presence, for taking care of our animals and for many other activities. Whatever your skills you have, if you want to volunteer, contact us, and we are sure we can find something suitable.
Contact usWe manage to do what we do, just with the help of donations. Every month, the expenses with children activities, the care for our animals and general expenses for utilities, are over 3000 Euros. You can help by donating money, but also by donating materials for the children activities or food for our animals. We constantly need your support!
DonateWe can continue taking animals from the streets only for as long as others from our care find a home. We sometimes cannot take dogs and cats that are in dangerous situations, because they lack vaccines or are too small and would be in danger in our care. That is why we need fosters. If you want to become a foster or adopt a dog or a cat from us, please contact us.
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