Nessa

SPONSOR ME

Nessa's story began at the Lancrăm high-kill shelter in Transylvania, Romania, where she arrived in June 2025 with her son, Finn. Mother and son, they faced shelter life together, relying on each other in an environment that was overwhelming and frightening.

Like so many shy black dogs, Nessa and Finn attracted very little attention. Month after month nobody offered them a chance, and they remained among the many dogs overlooked simply because they were quiet, frightened and easy to miss. Even so, Nessa showed moments of curiosity whenever she encountered kindness.

Unable to leave them behind, Walnut Tree Sanctuary rescued them both in September 2025 and transferred them to one of our partner fosters in Bulbucata, south of Bucharest, where we hoped they would begin to gain confidence and discover that life could be different.

Things did not go as we had hoped. Nessa and Finn remained almost constantly withdrawn, spending their days curled up in their doghouse — among the most fearful dogs we have ever placed there. In July 2026, Finn died of a stroke. Nessa, who had never in her life been without him, now faces her fear alone.

She needs a different environment and a more specialised approach than she has had so far. Our plan is to move her to a foster near Constanța, where we have previously seen remarkable results with dogs suffering from extreme fear. We hope that, with time, patience and the right surroundings, Nessa will finally begin to feel safe enough to take her first steps forward.

Her journey is far from over, and she needs our help now more than ever.

By sponsoring Nessa, you will directly help fund the care and support she urgently needs, and give a dog who has spent her whole life frightened the chance to discover that it can be otherwise.