Post by TheTravelBug on Sept 14, 2011 9:18:57 GMT
Animal-SOS Dog Shelter - Nessebar Municipality
Without being taken to this place, you would never know it even existed, which is probably why for years it operated as a death camp for dogs rounded up from the streets around Nessebar and Sunny Beach. The few basic buildings were set up by Nessebar muncipality around 4 or 5 years ago as the shelter for stray dogs in the area as under Bulgarian law each municipality must have somewhere to house stray dogs and must carry out a program of castration. The management of these shelters is given out to tender and the Nessebar place was run for three years by "ETTI-99" who took 7,800 levs a month from the municiplaity but performed no castrations, nor did they re-home any dogs. The dogs taken there simply disappeared or were left to starve in pens.
In 2009 a local developer and builder, Alexander Stefanov, became aware of the shelter and started to sponsor the dogs, providing food and funds for medical treatment and equipment. In 2010 Nessebar municipality announced that the tender for the shelter was coming up for bids and Alexander set up the non-profit organization "Animal-SOS" and won a one year management contract for the shelter. The shelter received around 47,000 Euros from the municipality. He immediately modenised all the facilities so that now the once bare, wire cages are warm, insulated rooms with new PVC windows and doors, new tiling and large outdoor pen areas. There is also an operating room and clinic as well as recovery pens with central heating for dogs having undergone operations. The place is small and 12km from Nessebar, along a rough dirt track, way into the fields, but is now transformed into a comfortable and clean place for the dogs. A 4x4 vehicle was also bought and equipped for picking up dogs from the street and ensuring access to the shelter in the worst weather conditions. There is one permanent member of staff and a number of volunteers as well as a veterinary team that come from Nessebar.
As well as providing a shelter for stray dogs, municipal neutering programs must be carried out. Animal-SOS take dogs from the street and castrates them and gives them rabies injections, returning healthy dogs to where they were found where as any puppies or animals that are unable to return to the street are kept at the shelter while new homes are found for them. Through May 2010 to May 2011 Animal-SOS castrated and returned 80 dogs to the street, a further 240 remained in the shelter an 91 were adopted. The foundation also carries out education programs. Unfortunately in general it is very difficult to re-home former street dogs in Bulgaria. Non-pedigree dogs and old or sick dogs are not looked upon as worthy pets in Bulgaria and so adoption of dogs from such shelters is based around finding the dogs homes abroad or with expats.
Margarita acts as Shelter Manager for this as well as the Burgas Municipality shelter. She devotes her life to doing what she can for the dogs in these two places.
CONTACT DETAILS
Burgas, 8000
Lazur bl, 102, Floor 2
Margarita Peeva - +359 878 101688 (speaks Bulgarian & German)
Alexander Stefanov - +359 878 779932 (speaks Bulgarian & some English)
www.animal-sos.eu -> Details of dogs for rehoming and more information.
HOW TO HELP & WHAT IS NEEDED
Whilst of course monetary donations are always gratefully received and needed, the shelters also need the following:
- Food (dry, canned, meat products, bread, rice, pasta, fish, vegetables, powdered milk for the puppies, dog treats)
- Drugs (vaccines, deworming tablets, flea powder)
- Collars, leads, plastic dog beds
- Cleaners, detergent, brooms, mops, dog shampoos
- Soft and rubber toys, balls
- Towels
- Blankets
- Sheets & Pillowcases
- Rugs & Old Carpet
- Linoleum
- Cooking pans, metal bowls, pots
- Wood for climbing, building small houses and sheds
- Construction materials - concrete, cement, tiles, adhesives, paints
Collection can be arranged around the Stara Zagora area, Kazanlak area, Sliven area and Burgas and Sunny Beach area. If you have bought an old Bulgarian house please check any outbuildings for old pots that could be used for water bowls or feed bowls, or cooking pots, old rugs and blankets. If you are ripping up old lino or carpet when renovating please let us have this also.
Also wanted: Old wood burners and decent old furniture, old barrels etc - I will refurbish this and sell for money for the sanctuaries.
CURRENT APPEAL: The shelter at Nessebar needs a second hand but working washing machine to wash the towels and dogs bedding.
Without being taken to this place, you would never know it even existed, which is probably why for years it operated as a death camp for dogs rounded up from the streets around Nessebar and Sunny Beach. The few basic buildings were set up by Nessebar muncipality around 4 or 5 years ago as the shelter for stray dogs in the area as under Bulgarian law each municipality must have somewhere to house stray dogs and must carry out a program of castration. The management of these shelters is given out to tender and the Nessebar place was run for three years by "ETTI-99" who took 7,800 levs a month from the municiplaity but performed no castrations, nor did they re-home any dogs. The dogs taken there simply disappeared or were left to starve in pens.
In 2009 a local developer and builder, Alexander Stefanov, became aware of the shelter and started to sponsor the dogs, providing food and funds for medical treatment and equipment. In 2010 Nessebar municipality announced that the tender for the shelter was coming up for bids and Alexander set up the non-profit organization "Animal-SOS" and won a one year management contract for the shelter. The shelter received around 47,000 Euros from the municipality. He immediately modenised all the facilities so that now the once bare, wire cages are warm, insulated rooms with new PVC windows and doors, new tiling and large outdoor pen areas. There is also an operating room and clinic as well as recovery pens with central heating for dogs having undergone operations. The place is small and 12km from Nessebar, along a rough dirt track, way into the fields, but is now transformed into a comfortable and clean place for the dogs. A 4x4 vehicle was also bought and equipped for picking up dogs from the street and ensuring access to the shelter in the worst weather conditions. There is one permanent member of staff and a number of volunteers as well as a veterinary team that come from Nessebar.
As well as providing a shelter for stray dogs, municipal neutering programs must be carried out. Animal-SOS take dogs from the street and castrates them and gives them rabies injections, returning healthy dogs to where they were found where as any puppies or animals that are unable to return to the street are kept at the shelter while new homes are found for them. Through May 2010 to May 2011 Animal-SOS castrated and returned 80 dogs to the street, a further 240 remained in the shelter an 91 were adopted. The foundation also carries out education programs. Unfortunately in general it is very difficult to re-home former street dogs in Bulgaria. Non-pedigree dogs and old or sick dogs are not looked upon as worthy pets in Bulgaria and so adoption of dogs from such shelters is based around finding the dogs homes abroad or with expats.
Margarita acts as Shelter Manager for this as well as the Burgas Municipality shelter. She devotes her life to doing what she can for the dogs in these two places.
CONTACT DETAILS
Burgas, 8000
Lazur bl, 102, Floor 2
Margarita Peeva - +359 878 101688 (speaks Bulgarian & German)
Alexander Stefanov - +359 878 779932 (speaks Bulgarian & some English)
www.animal-sos.eu -> Details of dogs for rehoming and more information.
HOW TO HELP & WHAT IS NEEDED
Whilst of course monetary donations are always gratefully received and needed, the shelters also need the following:
- Food (dry, canned, meat products, bread, rice, pasta, fish, vegetables, powdered milk for the puppies, dog treats)
- Drugs (vaccines, deworming tablets, flea powder)
- Collars, leads, plastic dog beds
- Cleaners, detergent, brooms, mops, dog shampoos
- Soft and rubber toys, balls
- Towels
- Blankets
- Sheets & Pillowcases
- Rugs & Old Carpet
- Linoleum
- Cooking pans, metal bowls, pots
- Wood for climbing, building small houses and sheds
- Construction materials - concrete, cement, tiles, adhesives, paints
Collection can be arranged around the Stara Zagora area, Kazanlak area, Sliven area and Burgas and Sunny Beach area. If you have bought an old Bulgarian house please check any outbuildings for old pots that could be used for water bowls or feed bowls, or cooking pots, old rugs and blankets. If you are ripping up old lino or carpet when renovating please let us have this also.
Also wanted: Old wood burners and decent old furniture, old barrels etc - I will refurbish this and sell for money for the sanctuaries.
CURRENT APPEAL: The shelter at Nessebar needs a second hand but working washing machine to wash the towels and dogs bedding.