Ricky Gervais’ Tweet Helps Save Hundreds Of Starving Dogs

When K9 Angels learned that 650 dogs were dying of starvation and disease in the Odai Shelter in Bucharest, Romania they partnered with other rescues to help raise much needed funds to help save the dogs. Although they made some headway in their fundraising, they were falling far short of their goal until they received some much needed help from an unexpected, but welcome, source – Ricky Gervais.

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Photo credit: K9 Angels

What followed shows how the power of celebrity, social media and animal lovers worldwide can help dogs in dire circumstances. K9 Angels describes the conditions in Odai as desperate. There was just one person was looking after the hundreds of dogs at the shelter, according to the K9 Angels’ YouCaring page.

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Photo credit: K9 Angels

There was no food, no beds, and not enough water bowls, let alone the medical care that many need. Dogs at the shelter have visible signs of malnutrition and many are sick and needing medical treatment, spay and neutering and preventative care.



In the initial days of their fundraising campaign, K9 Angels raised enough to feed the dogs for a few months, but it was dramatically short of the tens of thousands of dollars needed for basic supplies, vaccinations and staffing costs.

That’s when Ricky Gervais tweeted, asking for help, right after the television Emmy’s. He tweeted, “OK. That’s The Emmys done. Now back to important stuff. Emergency food & aid for dogs at Odai public shelter…”

Within hours of his tweet donations began to flow in. Soon K9 Angels had close to £18,000 in addition to the £4,000 they had managed to raise.

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Photo credit: K9 Angels

Now the dogs, and the rescuers caring for them, have a renewed hope. K9 Angels writes, “We are working closely with Paws2Rescue and Kola Kariola, a Romanian NGO, in arranging emergency aid and making sure these dogs now get the attention they so desperately deserve!”



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Photo credit: K9 Angels

The group plans on helping the shelter as a long term project and intends to continue to work with local rescues and organizations to provide the dogs at the shelter with proper medical care, supplies and food.

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Photo credit: K9 Angels

With the monies raised, they have coordinated directly with a supplier to ensure the shelter is delivered food for the dogs. Also, several of the dogs have been removed from the shelter to receive medical care.

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Photo credit: K9 Angels

The rescuers wrote, “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your outpouring of support for this very poor shelter and these sweet souls who cannot help themselves. You are all truly angels, we cannot thank you enough. ” Fittingly, one of the puppies at the shelter has been named Ricky in Gervais’ honor.

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