Abandoned and homeless animals of Sofia

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened

Written and compiled by Odhrán Roche, edited by Scott Green, photos courtesy of Dare 2 Care Animals, Slatina Puppy Gang, and Bunny Rescue Bulgaria

Have you heard of The 1500 Dog Gang? Or the Slatina Puppy Gang? No? You should definitely consider these animal shelters if you are looking to adopt a furry friend. We say this because every day in Sofia hundreds of homeless dogs look around the city for scraps to eat. Municipal shelters have reached their capacity, so the dogs and their puppies are left to fend for themselves. Homeless puppies are born with a slim chance of survival due to disease and lack of food. Cats face a similar situation, with kittens being found poisoned by those attempting to control the population by all means. Pet rabbits are found in small cages beside bins, abandoned, after interest in caring for them was lost.

All of these situations are preventable and thankfully volunteers and animal rights advocates work tirelessly day after day to help animals in every way possible. Stephanie is one such advocate, she volunteers as a coordinator for the Slatina Puppy Gang, a group of volunteers who rescue homeless dogs, get them the appropriate medical treatment and find new homes for them. 

Kai (left) and Sherlock (right) were found on the side of a busy road, their mother could not be found. The Slatina Puppy Gang network found safe foster homes for them, got them dewormed, vaccinated, and chipped. They quickly found adoptive homes and are now living happy, healthy lives with their adoptive families.

Here’s Stephanie’s story:
Known by her Facebook pseudonym as Stephanie Frenski, she hails from France and has been in Bulgaria for the past five years. Stephanie is a cat person, however, as she was surrounded by animals as a child, she respects them all equally as much. After arriving in Bulgaria, she heard about The 1500 Dog Gang as she was looking at adopting a dog. Due to her appreciation for animals, it was only natural for her to be interested in volunteering with them as well. 

After adopting her new dog, and while volunteering at the shelter she spoke with the other volunteers and was intrigued by the opportunity of promoting the adoption of pets for the Slatina Puppy Gang. Both groups aim to find a foster family for stray animals, which can be challenging, especially with older dogs. Nonetheless, they try to overcome this obstacle by creating a circle of kindhearted adopters and believe that the cohesion of a community will help to bring down the barriers.

Foreigners and locals alike are helping a lot, but more long-term foster homes are dearly needed. The best way to help out the shelters is by adopting your new pet, but if you are interested in helping more, you can become a foster home or volunteer at one of the many shelters. By volunteering at an animal shelter you can change the lives of the animals you interact with, and you can bring the love back to these animals that have been abandoned. Giving a better and brighter future for all homeless and abandoned animals in Bulgaria.

Frida was found on the street with a swollen mouth, unable to eat. The rescue team at Dare to Care brought her to the vet and helped her recover. She is now in perfect health and lives with a foster family until she is adopted.

The above-mentioned groups are just a few of the dozens of rescue organizations in Sofia, all of which need volunteers and extra support.  For more information on these organizations and how to help, see the list below. You can also download here the file for easier access. Are you interested in adopting a dog? Read this article that talks about the process and their experience.

Fluffy was abandoned at the top floor of an apartment building, Hidden in a small cage where no one would find him. Luckily someone did find him and alerted the team at Bunny Rescue Bulgaria. Fluffy was so stressed that he had stopped eating, the team brought him to the Central Veterinary Clinic to get checked out.  Now Fluffy is in good health and has found a wonderful, loving home.