A piece of heaven in Romania.
“It's like a little piece of heaven.”
Lindsey, on first arriving · April 2026
In April 2026, we took over a sanctuary in Crivatu.
This sanctuary was built slowly with love, by hand, with very little help, by an experienced Romanian rescuer who poured her whole life into it. A small, well-run home where dogs were welcomed when nobody wanted them.
In early 2026, with her health failing, she asked us to take it over. We said yes.
It was our dream. Our vision. It also happened very quickly, and before we knew it, we had taken over responsibility for the dogs that were already there. The sanctuary now sits inside Penny's Ark. We kept the dogs who were there. We kept the place's character: the trees, the runs, the kennel layout, the routine. We built more enclosures. We kept Catalin, who lives at the Sanctuary and has cared for these dogs for years. The dogs love Catalin. Catalin loves the dogs. He is the Guardian of the Sanctuary. Penny’s Ark Sanctuary was born. It's now the Penny's Ark Sanctuary.
Crivatu, Romania.
A small, peaceful site with grass, trees and proper kennels. Nothing fancy. Constructed with love by hand and kept by hand. We expand it carefully in the off-season, when the dogs need less of our attention.
The sanctuary costs more than £5,000 a month to run.
We name the number openly because donors deserve specifics, and because that's what makes the difference between a sanctuary that exists in five years' time and one that doesn't.
Care & Food
Catalin and the local team, plus the daily meals, walks and everyday care of every dog.
Veterinary care
Vaccines, routine medication, emergency surgery and the spaying and neutering that never stops.
Building & repair
Kennel maintenance, fencing and the truck. Romanian winters are brutal.
Utilities & maintenance
Heating, power, water and the running costs of keeping the site going year-round.
Catalin lives at the sanctuary. The dogs know him.
Catalin is our full-time Guardian at the sanctuary. He lives there. He feeds the dogs in the morning, walks the perimeter through the day, and locks up at night. He photographs every dog, every day, and sends the photos to us. He can do that because the numbers are small. That is the trade-off this place makes.
Before he was the main guy here, Catalin was homeless. The sanctuary gave him a home and a job at the same time. He's stayed because the dogs trust him and he trusts the place. One dog in particular adores him so much that he sprints around the fence to be closer to wherever Catalin is.
For the cost of a coffee, £5 a month, if everyone gave, we'd smash this target.
Lindsey, Penny's Ark Facebook
The sanctuary runs on sponsorship and donations.
The dogs at Penny's Ark Sanctuary aren't waiting for an adopter. Some of them have made it as far as they're going to. They live here for life. A small number of people giving £5, £10, £25 or £40 a month is what keeps them here.
Things people ask about the sanctuary.
Where is the sanctuary?+
Crivatu, Romania. A small, peaceful site: a few acres, fenced, with proper kennels and grass runs. We don't publish the exact address publicly, for the dogs' safety and to keep the team's home life private. It's a real place with a real person at the gate.
Can I visit?+
Not yet. The sanctuary isn't set up for visitors: no parking, no visitor area, and the team's full attention goes to the dogs. Getting supporters out there one day is something we'd love. For now, the photos and the quarterly sponsor email are the way you stay connected.
How many dogs live there?+
A small number, by design. Catalin photographs every dog every day specifically because the population is small. Shelters that take in hundreds of dogs end up unable to give individual care. We chose to stay small and do it well. We are a Sanctuary.
The exact number moves: dogs arrive, dogs sometimes go on to UK adoption, dogs occasionally pass away. We'll publish a current count once we have a stable monthly snapshot.
What's different about this sanctuary?+
Three things. First, it's owned by Penny's Ark, not a partner shelter we send money to. Decisions are made here, not negotiated with a third party. Second, it's small enough that every dog has a name, a daily photo and an individual care plan. Third, Sanctuaries in Romania run to this standard are rare. Genuinely rare. This is one of them.