Most of the start of this year has been spent running backwards and forwards to the Maglizh municipality, to try and finally get permission to re-build our barn so we have a handful of nice, indoor dog pens and more storage space (still ongoing, I am promised final paperwork in a couple of weeks) and chasing plans for the new neutering clinic (again still ongoing).
Meanwhile building work is progressing on the clinic, although there is always more to do, but its starting to take shape. We are still actively looking for a vet to work in the clinic, mainly doing neutering. We are happy to train someone in the latest techniques if not so experienced. More important is a belief that neutering is the only way to resolve the issue of unwanted dogs in Bulgaria (and cats) and a willingness to be part of the solution.
We have also been visiting the municipality shelter in Stara Zagora when time allows. It is disheartening to go and see all the dogs and only have time and be able to walk a handful of them in the small enclosure. The municipality also seem to be on a mission to clear the centre of the city of street dogs. In the last few weeks several friendly dogs, that are fed by locals and some that were already neutered and tagged, have been rounded up and taken to the shelter. This included two dogs friends had been taking care of and feeding, so it was off to the shelter to try and take out a very nervous and confused but completely non-aggressive large dog and then get him into an apartment and used to living there. Happy to report he is now settled and loving life. The other dog was adopted by the shop owner who used to feed him and who’s shop he lived outside. But there are still others locked up in concrete pens in the shelter, not allowed to be released because some idiot decided to make a signal saying they were aggressive or the dog happened to sleep on or near a child’s playground.
We’ve been steadily neutering street dogs in villages close by, two were pregnant and another one had a mammary tumour and one poor guy had twine imbedded deeply in his neck. There are a couple more we definitely want to get done, although one is possibly owned so we need to negotiate with the owner (who is not there too often) and the other has young pups we think.
And of course there are always the various dogs we find in terrible states on the streets close to use, like Ernie; the old guy with many problems but very soft and who will likely live out his days with us, Mali; the Staffie who was unbelievably skinny and is now living with a friend in the city and Rupert who was dumped in the village and will shortly have his leg amputated. And then there were the 4 pups dumped at the university which we fostered for a short while until they went to Paws & Hooves and little Annie who we have fostered for a few weeks to give her an extra bit of TLC and who will also shortly go back to Paws & Hooves.
And we have had recent meetings with the mayor of Maglizh to get official permission to do the neutering in this region and eventually the contract with the municipality. All takes time and slow progress but…..