Who pays for the rescue?

To simply say that “state aid is zero” for all organisations would be incorrect: there are exceptions and one-off mechanisms. The important truth is different: associations cannot rely on automatic, stable and sufficient public funding. An emergency appears today; a project call may not exist, may be missed, or may reimburse only certain expenses much later.

Vet clinics have salaries, equipment, laboratory, medicines and consumables to pay for. Some offer discounts, grace periods or social rates, but the medical service does not become free. That is why a rescuer can leave the clinic with the animal stabilised and with a new debt.

The prices below are approximate ranges, built from public price lists of veterinary clinics in Romania, consulted in August 2026. The city, night hours, complexity, weight, consumables, medication and the need for anaesthesia can greatly change the total. A routine consultation is often around 120-250 lei; tests and treatment are extra.

Associations take in kittens with parasites and respiratory infections, dehydrated, anaemic or injured cats, pregnant females, fractures after accidents, abscesses after bites, dental, skin, digestive and urinary conditions, panleukopenia, kidney disease and FIV- or FeLV-positive cases. A correct diagnosis can require several tests, and treatment can mean days or months, not a single injection.

FIV is the feline immunodeficiency virus. According to Cornell Feline Health Center, there is currently no definitive treatment that eliminates the virus. An FIV-positive cat can, however, live well for many years, with indoor living, monitoring and quick intervention when problems arise. The real cost is not an “FIV treatment”, but testing and, when the vet indicates it, confirmation of the result, check-ups at least every six months, periodic tests and prompt treatment of secondary infections, stomatitis, skin, urinary or respiratory problems.

A single positive test, especially in a healthy animal or a kitten, must be interpreted by a vet; Cornell recommends confirming positive results in the appropriate situations. FIV is not an automatic reason for euthanasia and is not transmitted to people.

An emergency cannot be put on hold until a post raises money. Many associations and many rescuers accept the necessary investigations on credit, pay a deposit from their own salary or use money intended for other cases. The practice can allow some time, but the bill remains. Meanwhile the next abandonment appears, before the previous debt is paid off.

Most of the time there is not just “one case”. There are kittens found without a mother, animals hit by cars, females abandoned together with their kittens, sick cats left at the practice door and dozens of messages asking for immediate intake. Space, money and the number of hands are finite; abandonment does not take them into account.

Rescue means night transports, cleaning, treatments at fixed hours, feeding kittens, discussions with vets, fundraising, looking for a foster, checking adopters and answering messages that never end. Repeated exposure to suffering, the pressure of choosing which case can be taken in and the fear of the next bill cause exhaustion and burnout. Rescuers need respect, boundaries and practical help, not accusations when their capacity has run out.

If you had income for which the law allows the option, Form 230 tells the state: “from the income tax you already owe, send up to 3.5% to this eligible organisation”. It is not 3.5% of your salary, it does not increase your tax and it is not a new tax. If you do not choose a beneficiary, that share stays in the public budget.

The organisation must be legally established and tax-eligible, including registered in the Register of Entities/Religious Units for which tax deductions are granted, where the rule applies. Check the form and deadline valid for the current year on the ANAF website; the rules and income categories may change. You can submit the form through the means accepted by ANAF or, where the law and procedure allow, you can entrust it to the organisation for centralisation.

The tax information was checked in August 2026 on the official ANAF page for Form 230 and in the Register of Entities/Religious Units. The information about FIV comes from the Cornell Feline Health Center.

The cost ranges were built from public price lists consulted in August 2026: Certovet, Biovet, SuperVET, Pet Stuff, Trust Vet and Exotic Vet. They do not represent a recommendation of a clinic, a price offer or a quote. The vet decides the investigations and treatment for each animal.