About
We provide love to the unloved.
Our story begins with a man named Dragan in Bor, Serbia, who for years, was feeding and rescuing street dogs and also rescuing from the brutal public shelter there. He built his own shelter from scraps of metal, wood and fence pieces that he could find, plus receiving donations to purchase supplies. Dragan never had sponsors for the dogs but would post constantly on Facebook asking for help from his friends. Years went by, and Facebook friends would come and go but there was a core group of us hoping to find the best way to help the 90 dogs that he had in his shelter. Each dog had a very sad story and was very important.
By 2020 we had placed about 25 of his dogs in the UK with forever homes. And at that time, we also decided we needed to build our own shelter. A REAL shelter.
A small group of us came together to find land and build our shelter for the remaining dogs. And that was the beginning of Hearts for Paws from Serbia. We found an amazing woman named Emma along with her mother Milena, who had their own rescued street dogs in a self-made, scrap shelter and wanted to build a real one on land she bought. We found sponsors for some of our dogs and moved them to the new Hearts Shelter in 2021 which we built with funding that mostly came from our members. In 2022 Emma and Milena built their shelter on the land also, calling themselves Hope for Paws from Serbia.
Over the last years, we have found homes for most of Dragan’s dogs (some in the US and most in the UK), which means that we still have 42 still in our care.
About 12 of our dogs have sponsors, and the remaining dogs are those that we raise funds for to buy food… they have no sponsors. Our generous supporters are the only source to provide the funds for their daily meals. Emma and Milena have about 150 dogs that they care for with a worker named Misko. Donations to this page are shared between the groups, unless specifically designated for a dog or a group.
We are VERY fortunate that the people caring daily for our Hearts dogs truly love them and are helping heal the wounds of neglect they have had in their lives. Some of these dogs were puppies when Dragan found them, so they only know their life in a shelter. No love or care from anyone other than the person who feeds them and cleans the pens. That contact is less than 15 minutes a day. There just isn’t enough time to spend quality time without more help at the shelter. Donations will give us the option of hiring another worker.
Currently we are finishing the process for the Hope and Hearts Shelters to be Registered so things are moving in the RIGHT direction! The Serbian government has made it VERY difficult to register a shelter, but they don’t want to take care of their street dog problem either. Crazy situation to work in!
Please know… our hearts are filled with appreciation for EVERYONE who has helped these dogs. Without YOU, they could have been left to die, but now they have a chance for a great new life. Finding a home takes time, energy and love… but we are getting there! One dog at a time. PLEASE donate for food for the dogs if you are able to:
How It Works
Rehoming a loving pup is as easy as 1, 2 and 3.
1
Find your new best friend on this website
We are constantly updating this site with new pups looking for their next home.
Fill out and submit the adoption request form
We will review your provided information to make sure our pups go to a good home.
2
We will follow up with you ASAP
Once we review the submitted form, we will follow up with you and begin the rehoming process.
3
We're all about getting homeless pets into homes
Though our goal is to re-home as many of the saved dogs as we can, some unfortunately will never be suitable to make that journey. That is why your donations are so vitally important – so these dogs in particular can be looked after until they reach their Rainbow Bridge. Our dogs are loved and honored, no matter their sad beginning and story.
Your help makes all the difference.
In Serbia, finding suitable homes to adopt rescued dogs and receiving financial support is a daunting task. The organization struggles to cover the expenses of rescue, recovery, and rehabilitation, such as veterinary care, kenneling, transport, and sterilization. Homeless street dogs in Serbia face torture, slaughter, and abuse, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths each year. Despite the constant need for dog rescue in Southern Serbia, many dogs remain on the streets, beyond the organization’s capacity to help.
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions
The fees typically range from $350 to $550 per dog. This covers transport to you, plus vet prep if necessary.
The first step will be some adoption paperwork, then a home check, arranging rescue back up, and then prepping your new dog for transport to his/her new forever home!
We are located in Serbia and you are welcome to come and visit and volunteer with the dogs!
On occasion, a dog will be brought to a foster home in the UK or in the US. If that was the case for your dog, then you could definitely come and visit.
The number always varies, but typically between 225-250 dogs. We find them on the streets, forest, cemetaries, among other places. We always bring in the ones we find if space allows.
Once you find the dog or dogs you are interested in, email us for more information and we’ll send you additional pictures and videos of the dog. We’ll also send you a summary of their personality, condition, etc. You can then contact us again to let us know if you would like to bring Fido hoem with you!
Because we are located in Serbia, it is much easier if you make monetary donations for these necessities. Purchasing items in Serbia is much less expensive when compared to other countries.
