" I’m Dr. Marty Becker, a veterinarian who recently visited the Ukrainian border in Romania as an advisory board member of the US-based World Vets (worldvets.org); a representative of the organization I founded, Fear Free (fearfreepets.com); and as an unofficial representative of the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (avmf.org). I had traveled to Romania and Moldova to see how we could join global efforts to help pets and their people fleeing the violence and destruction brought upon Ukrainians by the horrific and senseless Russian attacks.

World Vets had connected me with Alexandra Sava from the family-run, non-governmental, non-profit Sava’s Safe Haven near Galati, Romania. I came away knowing she is an angel-on-earth and part of the most extraordinary family of pet rescuers I’ve ever met in a lifetime of loving pets and over four decades of veterinary practice and animal welfare.

Sava’s Safe Haven operates on the belief “Every dog deserves a chance.” Built by the Sava family and funded through donations, Sava’s Safe Haven houses dogs rescued off the street or removed from abusive situations, dogs dropped off outside their gates at night, and now dogs brought by people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The organization offers essential veterinary care, pet food, and supplies (both for pets and people) for those in need.

In ten years, Sava’s Safe Haven has placed over 5,000 dogs. That’s quite an achievement for one family-run no-kill shelter in a rural area of Romania.

Despite the 2019 COVID outbreak that caused the economy to stop in Romania, put people out of work, and made the feeding and care of pets difficult if not impossible; and more recently the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has caused displacement of millions of pets and people, Sava’s keeps to their open-door, no-kill, “every dog deserves a chance,” give-more-than-we-receive approach. Despite starting to run short of dog food themselves, I witnessed them sending 2.5 tons of dog food to the ferry crossing between Romania and Ukraine to feed Ukrainian pets (both in homes and in shelters). At least every other day, Sava’s vehicle makes a run to the border bearing supplies and returns with pets and people in need.

In addition to spending 17 years as the resident veterinarian on Good Morning America, founding Fear Free, authoring 23 books including three New York Times best-sellers, and working as a practicing veterinarian for more than four decades, I serve or have served on the boards of many animal welfare organizations and shelters. During all that time, I have never encountered the kind of spirit and dedication I witnessed at Sava’s Safe Haven.

I couldn’t be more honored to be the first Ambassador for Sava’s Safe Haven, and I pledge to work hard to ensure their lifesaving work can continue and that pets and people in need will be able to receive veterinary care, supplies, and above all, a place of haven. I hope you will join me in making that a reality by supporting this organization and its work."