Stray dogs in Bulgaria

There are some stray dogs in our village, 2 stay near our property. Our bulgarian neighbours say good for security, when strangers appear they bark and also are aggressive to any other stray dogs that turn up.

Compared to 20 years ago and the major problems posed by packs of homeless dogs then, today's situation is  greatly improved.  The Catch, Neuter and Release program has worked pretty well - in fact too well in some ways, as the outrageous practice of rounding up stray dogs in some of the surrounding villages/towns and dumping them on the streets of Sofia is still going strong.

There are still many stray cats around, unfortunately - in fact one of them is trying to walk on my keyboard as I'm typing this!

LOL, that cat sounds more like an ex-stray, Jim!

We visited the VT and Varna city or nearby villages frequently between 2013 and 2018 and saw numerous stray dogs and cats both in the cities and the villages. When I next visited in 2022, a different region, I saw far fewer. The village our house is in seems to have very few stray dogs or cats. Unfortunately rather than TNR programs to manage the populations, I believe from things I've read that the region ran an aggressive trap and kill program.

@janemulberry

Indeed he's very much an ex-stray! He turned up in our garden as little more than a completely-matted ginger kitten and proceeded to whale the tar out of the other two strays we'd adopted, both of whom were very much gentler souls.  Nonetheless, he was so cute and lovable that we simply had to add him to the family.  Unfortunately, one of the neighbours (fortunately for all concerned I have never discovered which one) has a penchant for shooting cats, so he and one of the others ended up with pellets embedded in them, and they all became indoor cats.  The not very originally-named Ginger grew into something of a monster-sized specimen and he still hates cats, but fortunately our house is more than big enough for our now-two cats to have one storey each, plus one for us, so it all works out.  There's now also one outside stray  (as well as a fox) who we feed but he's not interested in becoming a house pet - not to mention that my wife has the common Bulgarian idea that animals don't really belong in houses....apart from Ginger, of course.

The problem with strays (and indeed pets who are allowed out) here is a common one all over the Balkans, which is to say that some people seem to hate animals and make it their business to poison them; it's a common occurrence in villages, town and cities alike, I'm afraid.  Of course, it happens in plenty of other countries and regions as well, but it's particularly bad in this part of Europe.

It's a concern for sure. When we move we'll be taking our cats with us (mostly former feral kittens from Cyprus). They're indoor cats here. I'd love to let them have more freedom in the village, but we may be wiser to build them a catio rather than letting them roam. My neighbours all have cats and dogs and a relaxed attitude, I doubt poison would cross their minds. But shooting is possible (and justified) if our monster cat decides to hunt their chickens. I suspect all the chickens need to do is flap their wings at him and he's be scared off, but I'd rather not take the chance!

Your Ginger sounds quite the character! We just added a neighbour's rescue kitten to our household as the neighbour's job changed and he's constantly travelling away from home. She's such an assertive little thing! Half the size of the monster, and yet she whups him on the nose without hesitation.

I've watched videos about stray dogs in Bulgaria the Balkans Europe and they are very intelligent in their own ways.

In Ireland, and the UK perhaps since the dangerous dogs act 1991 it's somewhat illegal for dogs to be roaming alone in public places and they are subject to being picked up by dog wardens and police. Similar story in Germany and Holland. So the culture of seeing stray dogs being aloud to wander in public would be a culture change.

Farm animals are also very intelligent and loving, I have watched videos on YouTube of baby pet pigs cows lambs and goats, hens and chickens, ducklings.

I am now a 100 percent vegetarian.

Health and house insurance are two things one would wish they had in times of trouble, but when they have them may go years without claiming on, but when they stop them, need to claim on.

I can understand not getting Bulgarian house insurance if the industry is corrupt and your property and contents not worth much.

If I was a resident in Bulgaria I wouldn't want to be turning up in a Bulgarian hospital in an emergency without their NHS/ public insurance, even if it's a once in 15 years event.

Though perhaps some treatments would be affordable for the uninsured and be capped at a certain price, as they are in Ireland.

@European360

those stray dogs can be VERY dangerous - people have been killed by them, never mind about "only" attacked.  The situation is much better nowadays, mainly because most of the ones considered to be dangerous have been trapped and killed, but it's still unwise to get too close to street dogs, especially if there's a group of them.

Rabies is officially eradicated here, at least in the dog population (it still exists in the wild animal population though); you're unlikely to be bitten by a rabid dog but it's not entirely out of the question, especially since there's a large population of foxes in the city (I feed one in my garden).  Don't let your guard down completely - you may not live to regret it...

Right so why has my deleted by an anonymous moderator post (below) on my property vehicle and health insurance thread from about an hour ago just turned up on this thread??!!!!!

Is someone playing a game in moderator land?

Or did I post it to the wrong thread?

Well to tell you the truth in all this excitement I've kind of lost track myself!

Oh dear

😄.

Nevertheless for trust and transparency purposes I would like to see this forum adopt a policy of when deleting a members post - permanently showing a post by which member has been deleted, and which moderator deleted it and why.

But I sincerely apologise if on this occasion the error was mine.

    "Health and house insurance are two things one would wish they had in times of trouble, but when they have them may go years without claiming on, but when they stop them, need to claim on.I can understand not getting Bulgarian house insurance if the industry is corrupt and your property and contents not worth much.If I was a resident in Bulgaria I wouldn't want to be turning up in a Bulgarian hospital in an emergency without their NHS/ public insurance, even if it's a once in 15 years event. Though perhaps some treatments would be affordable for the uninsured and be capped at a certain price, as they are in Ireland. "        -@European360

Emergency treatment for life-threatening injury etc is free for everyone in BG, including if you've been savaged by a street dog.

Okay - that should have tied the two threads together now.......

So in the UK free roaming owned dogs were a fairly common thing up until the 1990s when it became illegal for any dog to be left unaccompanied in public places I think with the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which makes unaccompanied dogs technically and legally a stray dog, subject to being picked up by council dog wardens and the police and never to be returned to the streets.

Countries that allow and even return sterilised dogs to the streets to live their lives are in a way saying dogs lives are more important than the UK Ireland Germany and Holland are, who never return unaccompanied dogs to the streets.

It's a complex moral and philosophical issue.

I remember as a child being really terrorised by a few free roaming dogs and it was very dangerous  due to the sharpness of their teeth and power of their bites combined with their displayed aggression level.

Are domesticated stray dogs a man made species who should always belong under mans control unlike wild dog species like foxes and wolves?

The UK slaughters a total of around 2.2 million sheep cows and pigs every month and many more chicken and hens. Bulgaria probably around 10 percent of these totals given their human population size.

I just wonder are all the people around the world who insist it's cruel to remove unaccompanied dogs from the streets and never return them also all vegetarians.

And if not what in their view makes the lives of pigs cows sheep and hens any less important than stray dogs.

Thankfully being a vegetarian I have a low impact on the animal kingdom.

Greece Romania Turkey and the other Balkan nations look to have significant stray dog issues. In a way they are reducing the rights of people by allowing free roaming stray and feral domestic dogs, and elevating their rights.

Like I said it's a complex moral and philosophical issue in my opinion and I can see both sides of the debate to some extent.

From the documentaries about stray dogs I've seen in the Balkans particularly Bulgaria's nextdoor neighbour Romania it's also clear this issue is a big money industry, with NGOs sometimes run by foreigners vying for big contracts from the Romanian government and EU to solve the problem. And so naturally is subject to corrupt practices, as when a problem is solved the money supply allocated to solve the problem dries up. Whereas companies in any industry stay in business with a continual supply of work and customers lined up.

@European360

Helping homeless dogs and cats in Bulgaria is certainly NOT a "big money business"!  There are volunteer groups and individuals who work tirelessly to do what they can, but they are always strapped for cash and receive no money from the authorities, relying on volunteers for assistance and donations.  Unfortunately, in the Balkans neutering domestic pets, let alone strays, is viewed by many ignorant people as "unnatural" - I won't go into what happens to the resulting unwanted progeny, but I'm sure you can imagine....

Lots of loose dogs in my village but they're not stray it seems that they're left outside when their owners gk to work either picked up by mini bus or car and as a non driver I've even seen owners getting on the village bus with me leaving their dogs to wait for their return.  But having said that last year I witnessed a dog literally left to starve to death close to a local shop, as I want in the village to live permanently at the time there was nothing I could do about it.

Got to hand it to Bulgaria the number of strays isnt what it used to be. Golden Sands was swarming with them years ago.

Now you get these expats setting up shelters. I doubt they make much of a dent. Seems like a few of them are more into getting attention from other expats. I asked a while back about a decent local charity helping strays? Not a single one knew a thing about it so its all a bit of a show if you ask me.

Mickey, I'm sure there are many genuine shelters. But they tend to be low key small places who are usually already overwhelmed dealing with the unhomed cats and dogs from their local area and so don't want or need publicity bringing them more! No matter how much they grieve over the fact, wise shelters have to recognise they can't rescue every animal, there are limits in how many they can safely care for. Few are big-business style charities rolling in money. Most are just people who care about animals doing the best they can to help.

I believe strongly in trap-neuter-release schemes. They won't ever eradicate stray dogs and cats but will control the populations enough that the animals have a better quality of life and are less of a danger to humans. Unnatural? Maybe. But necessary. "Natural" doesn't mean good or kind. Nature's way of reducing excessive animal populations is starvation and illness. TNR is a much kinder way. I cried over a British guy we knew in Bulgaria many years ago who took in a local stray kitten but wouldn't have it neutered because he believed it wasn't natural. The poor little thing had a miserable life -- pregnant at 4 months old, still a kitten herself and already ill. She miscarried the pregnancy, then the cycle continued with recurrent aborted pregnancies as her health got worse and she died far too young. If we'd lived in Bulgaria rather than just been visiting every few months with people in that village, I would have gladly stolen that kitten from him, because he insisted she shouldn't be neutered. His belief that she enjoyed her sex life basically killed her.

I was in southern Bulgaria small town in December. There were 3 street dogs( tagged by the animal services)- very fun , friendly, seems like they were fed well by the  people and the restaurants nearby; I saw an old lady that specially brought food and fed one. Nice people... I gave an egg to one of them- he was so picky- just ate the egg yolk:) This particular dog I liked very much and would have taken home but I did not have a car at that time. We even took picture with him- a very handsome stray:)

@TonyFF

You'd likely receive a frosty reception, to put it mildly, at such a high-handed action. In our "village" we have around half a dozen street dogs, all neutered and ear-tagged; they all have names and are local celebrities: when one of them gets ill/injured we all club together to pay the vet's bills, and several people feed them (and the local street cats). If one of the feeders needs some financial help, the local supermarket sets aside a marked trolley for donations of pet food.  In the winter, there are various outbuildings which the animals like to sleep in and the doors are left ajar for that reason.

Some people have from time to time decided to adopt some of the dogs (having asked the village's FB group first) and it's always been unsuccessful as the dogs prefer the "Gentleman of the Road" lifestyle.  A few years ago, one newcomer decided that the biggest dog "Мечка" (Bear) looked dangerous (he isn't) and very inadvisedly complained to the Municipality, who trapped Bear and took him off to the dog pound, usually a one-way trip that the dog doesn't survive.  There was an uproar in the village and a delegation went to the pound to get him released and bring him back - the perpetrator received so many threats and so much abuse that he thought it advisable to move.

Street cats are a somewhat different matter: you can adopt as many of them as you like, either as indoor pets or simply trapping them and neutering them, and then feeding them outside and allowing them to do their own thing.  We live on the edge of the woods on the mountain and regularly get new visitors who receive the latter treatment - our Big Boy cat hates other cats and there's only enough room in the house for him and one other young lady, carefully kept apart at all times for her protection.

On my first visit to our village house, my neighbour quickly pointed out to me which dogs were okay to roam and asked me not to report them to the Municipality - same issue there of a trip to the pound being a one-way ticket. They both are friendly and well fed and cause no trouble at all.

@janemulberry

Our "village strays" are officially allowed to roam - or more accurately, laze around waiting for the next free meal - as they've been neutered and ear-tagged by the municipality; it's just idiots who are scared of big dogs in principle, even docile ones, who cause the problems....

    I've watched videos about stray dogs in Bulgaria the Balkans Europe and they are very intelligent in their own ways.
In Ireland, and the UK perhaps since the dangerous dogs act 1991 it's somewhat illegal for dogs to be roaming alone in public places and they are subject to being picked up by dog wardens and police. Similar story in Germany and Holland. So the culture of seeing stray dogs being aloud to wander in public would be a culture change.

Farm animals are also very intelligent and loving, I have watched videos on YouTube of baby pet pigs cows lambs and goats, hens and chickens, ducklings.

I am now a 100 percent vegetarian.
   

    -@European360

You can't compare countries and as for the dangerous dog act that has nothing to do with it. Dogs & Cats forever being dumbed and left abandoned in the UK, mostly picked up by the RSPCA, if its a dangerous dog, armed police are called.

        I've watched videos about stray dogs in Bulgaria the Balkans Europe and they are very intelligent in their own ways.In Ireland, and the UK perhaps since the dangerous dogs act 1991 it's somewhat illegal for dogs to be roaming alone in public places and they are subject to being picked up by dog wardens and police. Similar story in Germany and Holland. So the culture of seeing stray dogs being aloud to wander in public would be a culture change.Farm animals are also very intelligent and loving, I have watched videos on YouTube of baby pet pigs cows lambs and goats, hens and chickens, ducklings.I am now a 100 percent vegetarian.       

"-@European360

You can't compare countries and as for the dangerous dog act that has nothing to do with it. Dogs & Cats forever being dumbed and left abandoned in the UK, mostly picked up by the RSPCA, if its a dangerous dog, armed police are called."       

-@SimCityAT

https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-ad … for-owners

"Out of control dogs

In public places, you must keep your dog ‘under control’. Generally, this means close to you and ideally on a lead. If they’re not on a lead, they need to be under control in another way, such as paying attention to your voice commands.

It’s a criminal offence to allow your dog to be ‘dangerously out of control’ – this counts in both public and private areas (such as inside someone's home). This could be anything from your dog chasing a person or another animal to physically harming them. It can also be if someone feels at risk of being injured by your dog. Either the owner or the person in charge of the dog can be charged. If this happens, you may have to pay a fine, compensation and costs. If your dog hurts a person, unfortunately they can be seized by police and may even be humanely destroyed.

We recommend making sure you’re on top of your dog’s training. Always keep your dog on a lead around strange dogs if they don’t have good recall as, even if your dog is friendly, you never know how the other dog is going to react.

Law:

Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (Section 3)"

@European360

I've no idea if you're really Irish, as your forum ID suggests, but you really need to read what you post a little more carefully, whatever your grasp of the English language might be...

As we all know, the Law is very often an ass, but in this case it says exactly what it means: it is an offence under Section 3 for you to allow your dog to be "dangerously out of control" but in the UK, bizarrely enough, there is no law preventing you allowing your dog to wander about on its own.  The animal might be rounded up by the Council's Dog Warden - if there actually is one - on the basis that it's a stray - in which case you'll likely need to cough up a fee to be reunited, but you're not committing an offence.  As long as your errant mutt isn't "dangerously out of control", the situation doesn't fall under Section 3.

@JimJ

that is very nice and humane that the whole village cares about the dogs

my feeling is the ones that we met were also well taken care of

@European360

the stray dogs where i am are in fantastic condition. people sit outside the shop drinking coffee fussing them.

i thought id move over id collect stray dogs. not at all.

im wondering about a pony that lives where it likes here though

im’ hoping it needs a home

im sure my 2 ponies ’need’  a new friend to play with 😂

    @JimJ
that is very nice and humane that the whole village cares about the dogs
my feeling is the ones that we met were also well taken care of
   

@TonyFF

I have to confess that this isn't your average Bulgarian village, Tony - we "villagers" still call it that, but it became part of the city in 1961; it'd be nice if the property prices were still "village-style" but they're in fact even higher than most parts of the city centre.   Something to do with being able to breathe up here, I guess - and the views are beautiful.

@Suzi Masterson

That's probably an "ethnic minority" pony, Suzy - you'd be well advised to keep away from it; if it gets sick or injured you're likely to get the blame and those folks don't bother with court cases when they decide that "compensation" is due to them...

   
        I've watched videos about stray dogs in Bulgaria the Balkans Europe and they are very intelligent in their own ways.In Ireland, and the UK perhaps since the dangerous dogs act 1991 it's somewhat illegal for dogs to be roaming alone in public places and they are subject to being picked up by dog wardens and police. Similar story in Germany and Holland. So the culture of seeing stray dogs being aloud to wander in public would be a culture change.Farm animals are also very intelligent and loving, I have watched videos on YouTube of baby pet pigs cows lambs and goats, hens and chickens, ducklings.I am now a 100 percent vegetarian.       

"-@European360
You can't compare countries and as for the dangerous dog act that has nothing to do with it. Dogs & Cats forever being dumbed and left abandoned in the UK, mostly picked up by the RSPCA, if its a dangerous dog, armed police are called."       

-@SimCityAT


https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-ad … for-owners

"Out of control dogs
In public places, you must keep your dog ‘under control’. Generally, this means close to you and ideally on a lead. If they’re not on a lead, they need to be under control in another way, such as paying attention to your voice commands.

It’s a criminal offence to allow your dog to be ‘dangerously out of control’ – this counts in both public and private areas (such as inside someone's home). This could be anything from your dog chasing a person or another animal to physically harming them. It can also be if someone feels at risk of being injured by your dog. Either the owner or the person in charge of the dog can be charged. If this happens, you may have to pay a fine, compensation and costs. If your dog hurts a person, unfortunately they can be seized by police and may even be humanely destroyed.

We recommend making sure you’re on top of your dog’s training. Always keep your dog on a lead around strange dogs if they don’t have good recall as, even if your dog is friendly, you never know how the other dog is going to react.

Law:
Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (Section 3)"
   

    -@European360

And????

And????
   

@SimCityAT

Who knows?

In the UK dog fouling is very much socially frowned upon now, with £ fines in place, and dare I say most people with dogs clean up it's excrement in public places.

What's the dog fouling situation like in Bulgaria amongst dog owners?

Do you see a lot of dog poo on the ground when out and about in Bulgaria?

Does anyone clean up the stray dogs poo?

@European360

Depends on where you live: in the fancy complexes, for the most part people "pick up" after their dogs; in other parts, they may (especially if one of the neighbours has previously given them a flea in the ear about it); in villages, not a chance - and anyway many village folk let their dogs roam free.

It's a nuisance, just as it is everywhere, but this is still the poorest country in the EU (until Albania joins, God help us) and governments really do have much more pressing problems on their minds than dog poop...

I've seen far more dog poop when out walking in my "nice" commuter belt UK town than in my Bulgarian village. Some people in the UK are socially responsible and pick up any messes when they walk their dogs, some don't give a sh*t whether their dog does its business in the middle of a public footpath. Fines are only a deterrent if they are enforced.

Carrying on the topic of our "village dogs", we're all  now contributing to one of them being sent over " the Rainbow Bridge"; sadly she's now really old and ailing in ways that can't be cured, including not being able to eat much in the way of solid food. It's never a pleasant time, even when the animal in question isn't one of your own family.

It's a great pity that no-one's allowed to help us on that last journey and we have to do it the hard way...

People  should  have decency  to pick up after  dogs done toilet  like hi have to hi have one Caucasian ovchaka  an two presa canaios  they big dogs so you have clean it up hi not whant to be standing in that carnt wait to get out here

In Pomorie there is practically no strays..there was when all the building was going on..but now they have gone.

There are still lots of stray cats..possibly caused by Russians moving to turkey..and others selling up.

What I have noticed..during the holiday season when there's many visitors...are the small handbag sized dogs they bring with them...they yap all the time

Shit everywhere..and owners don't bother to clean up after them.

They take them to restaurants too..where they yap at each other..and restaurants don't act either.

I did have one experience...with one on a long lead

That wrapped itself around my table leg..pulled it and knocked my beer over..thankfully not over me..

Yet the owner gave me such a dirty look..

I just made my fingers into a gun..and pointed it at the dog.😂

@JimJ

Librela is the new treatment to extend dog's life. Monoclonal antibodies- this is a miracle drug ( I can verify that- it works like a light switch -the dog is back full force ready to play, jump, walk.)

I am very impressed  and it is available in Bulgaria!!!

@TonyFF

Arthritis appears to be only one part of this (very) old girl's problems; she's not eating, and losing her balance all the time. I'm sure the vet here will have assessed what can be done for her, especially as she's always keen to recommend additional (and often unnecessary) treatment to increase her profits...

@TonyFF

That medication is a great help for arthritis pain. It's made a big difference for our elderly cat. But sadly it's not a cure-all. It loses effectiveness after a while. He now needs it every three weeks, and other pain medication three times a day, plus thyroid medication. And when his intestinal lymphoma gets to the stage he can't eat or we can't help relieve his pain, I'll be very grateful our vets can offer the heartbreaking but humane option to assist his passing. 😭

@Suzi Masterson

What's the name of your village please Suzi?. That sounds like somewhere I could live. I dread the thought of finding loads of strays.