Hunderettung Europa e.V.

Hunderettung Europa e.V. is a Germany‑based animal‑rescue organisation that focuses on saving dogs from killing stations in Romania and supporting shelters in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania. The group operates a shelter that cares for hundreds of animals and runs regular sterilisation campaigns to control stray populations. Its core activity consists of rescuing dogs, providing veterinary care, and facilitating adoption or long‑term care. Funding for these efforts has historically come from online donation channels, and the organisation uses Instagram for outreach and fundraising. The organisation relies on a volunteer network to carry out field work, transport animals, and manage shelter operations. As a registered association (e.V.) it operates under German nonprofit law.

In May 2025 the organisation’s Instagram account was compromised in a hacker attack, resulting in loss of access and extortion demands that were reported to police. The breach cut off a major donation channel that had supplied most of the funding for its animal‑rescue work, jeopardising a planned operation to save about fifty dogs from a Romanian killing station. Ongoing projects in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, including sterilisation campaigns and rescue efforts, were also threatened by the sudden loss of financial support. In response, volunteers began rebuilding a new Instagram presence under a different name to restore outreach and fundraising efforts. The incident highlighted the organisation’s dependence on social‑media platforms for sustaining its activities. Despite the setback, the group continues to pursue its mission of animal welfare through volunteer‑driven initiatives.