26/09/2026
This is so cruel
💔 They travelled hundreds of miles to give dogs a second chance. Tragically, they would never make it home.
Alison Condon, from Northamptonshire, and Rachael Harvey-Purkiss, from Essex, have lost their lives following a devastating road collision in Romania while helping to bring rescued dogs to safety.
Alison and Rachael were in Romania on behalf of the rescue Homeward Bound, helping dogs who had begun their journey from life on the streets towards the prospect of a safer, happier future.
On Thursday, the minibus they were travelling in was involved in a serious multi-vehicle collision in western Romania, close to the Serbian border.
Tragically, Alison and Rachael both lost their lives.
There were also 10 rescued dogs travelling in the vehicle. Nine dogs died and the rescue is now working to get surviving dog, Mr Brown, to safety in the UK 🐾🇬🇧
These weren't simply two people making a journey across Europe.
They were two women giving their time, energy and compassion to animals who had already experienced so much.
Dogs who didn't know borders, nationalities or how many miles somebody had travelled for them.
They simply knew that somebody had come.
Somebody had put them into a vehicle.
Somebody was taking them towards safety.
And behind every rescue journey like this are people willing to do the difficult, exhausting and often unseen work needed to give an animal another chance at life.
Homeward Bound described Alison and Rachael as “two beautiful rare diamonds”, saying their hearts were filled with love and care for animals 💔
Those words perhaps say more than anything else could.
Two women set out to save lives.
They should have returned home after completing another rescue journey.
Instead, their families, friends and the rescue community are now grieving an unimaginable loss, alongside the loss of the dogs who were travelling with them.
Our thoughts at Black Cricket Animal Services are with the families and friends of Alison and Rachael, everyone at Homeward Bound, those involved in the rescue effort following the collision, and everyone who knew and loved the dogs who lost their lives.
And we desperately hope that Mr Brown can complete the journey that Alison and Rachael began for him and reach safety in the UK 🐾❤️
Perhaps one of the greatest tributes to Alison and Rachael is to remember why they were there in the first place.
Because somewhere there was an animal that needed somebody.
And they chose to be those somebodies.
Rest in peace, Alison and Rachael.
And rest peacefully, little ones 🌈🐾
Your journey mattered.
Your lives mattered.
And the kindness behind that final journey will not be forgotten.
🕯️🐾❤️
