American Actress Lends Strays a Hand in Bucharest

Two-time Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank has visited Romania in an attempt to highlight the country's problems with stray animals.

Working with animal welfare foundation Vier Pfoten, Swank visited schools and institutions which work with the charity, promoting interaction with rescued dogs. It is estimated that Bucharest is home to some 35 000 stray dogs. While some believe the dogs should be sterilized or put down, Swank believes in a "no-kill" policy.

Talking to the Associated Press, Swank described the importance of relationships between rescued animals and children in need: "The unconditional love of an animal is very healing and teaches them about not just unconditional love but about a relationship, about responsibility, about anger management"