What we do
Bulgaria has many street dogs who are often subjected
to the most horrendous cruelty. They are kicked, beaten and shot on a regular
basis for no other reason than that it provides certain individuals with
amusement. Many of these dogs are injured, in pain, or starving and in the
winter there is a high chance that they will freeze to death. Since moving to
Bulgaria in 2007, we have rescued many of these dogs, sometimes have as many as
80 dogs and pups staying with us at our home. In December 2010 we raised
sufficient funds to buy a building in a nearby village. Whilst not ideal,
we have to work with what we have and the building is now home to over 100 dogs.
We care for and rehabilitate as many of these as possible; ensuring they are
vaccinated and neutered before assessing them for potential adoption.
We have adoption teams in Holland, Belgium and the UK
and whenever possible, we find loving homes for our dogs. Some have suffered so
much abuse that they are unsuitable for adoption and stay with us as permanent
residents. Apart from the dogs that we do take in, we try and keep a check on
others that are still on the streets or living in the forests, making sure that
they are fed and if possible treated for parasites. Without the food we
provide on our feeding rounds, many of these dogs would starve to death.
Recently we were offered the chance to buy a small
building next to the current shelter, our aim is to raise the funds required and
turn this building into a clinic. This will allow us to start a
sterilisation scheme and provide a place for volunteer vets to come and carry
out neutering. We want to encourage local dog owners to use the clinic in
a bid to educate them about unwanted litters and how to take care of their
animals. It will also be used for dogs whose lives are in imminent danger, due
to sickness or injury. It is unrealistic to think that we can get all the dogs
off the street, but this will reduce the number of puppies who are born to this
life of misery. These are not dangerous wild dogs or dogs that are a danger to
livestock, many are friendly dogs who are craving love and attention. It is
heartbreaking to see one of them go up to a person, wagging its tail and rolling
over only to be kicked and spat on.
Please help us to help them.
