We call on the concerned institutions and world community alike to urge Bulgarian authorities till enactment and enforcement of a modern Animal Protection Act takes an effect, one which will guarantee the protection and welfare of cats and dogs in Bulgaria.

In the protection of pet animals field in Bulgaria there are acting the rules of the 2005 Veterinarian Act. Up to May 1st of 2006 there were in effect the regulations of the 1999 Veterinarian Act; in year 2000 it was appended by the Government and some of the appendices are in effect in the present. In 2004 Bulgaria ratified the European Council's Convention
for the Protection of Pet Animals, binding itself to make an effective effort of bringing about improvements in this field. Bulgaria is already a full European Union member and must to comply with the European Commission's Regulation No.998/2003.

In the meantime we are witnessing lack of any whatsoever effort taken by the authorities in right direction. Since 1990 in Sofia we are witnesses of an ongoing process of unrestricted mass breeding, offering and roam of unregistered cats and dogs; and last but not least their mass disappearing as a result of illegal collection. In Sofia the so called "street population" has been constantly re-filled by grown up and growing tame dogs of unknown origin. The problem with the habitual mass breeding and leaving of unregistered animals stays neglected by the Government. Despite of the obligation Municipality of Sofia does not enforses the regime of dog registration. Despite of the existing resources the Municipality does not accept adequate policy promoting re-homing of lost and abandoned pets, and encouraging early-aged sterilization.

Cat and dog lovers stay continuously misinformed and misled about the cruel destiny for the better part of the steady-bred animals and to their potential end use. The large-scale of unchecked home breeding goes on animated by the misconception and illusion, that proclaimed by authorities "no-kill policy" could be accomplished through sterilization of all unwanted animals plus the ban to their killing.

The Act, Convention and Regulation provisions stay totally ignored by Government, Municipality and "nature-defenders" (popular SPCAs). The ignorance of Law is left without reproof by the Bulgarian Parliament. So the missing practice of legal control is replaced by criminal collection and abuse of the great number of healthy animals. That leads to the real reduction of both increasing populations. The Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Finance stay tolerant to the illegal traffic of cats and dogs and money laundering.

After accession of Bulgaria to European Union we are still witnesses of worsening legislation taken by the Government and quasi-governmental organizations in the field of animal welfare, e.g. like trying to adapt a whole new Animal Protection Act conflicting the European Commission's Regulation No.998/2003 and the European Council's Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. The Parliament initiated procedure to debate an Animal Protection Bill introduced by Mrs Vanya Tsvetkova MP and a group of Representatives. The Minister of Agriculture is also making an effort in this direction through the Intimate with Nature Society/IWNS publishing and promoting on the internet a draft for similar to the above Bill.

In regards to cats and dogs the authors of the two drafts are asserting their intentions for banning population control by killing; in the debated by the Parliament Bill there is also a provision for banning the laboratory use of the both species. But both drafts are not including so called "No-Kill Solutions" - all effective preventive measures for curbing the home breeding and movement of pet animals, that will lead to the stabilization of population shift. Such an Act won't bring the percentage of the registered and sterilized animals up, as well as restriction to collecting and abusing high number of them. It will be ineffective regarding to their protection and welfare.
- In the programs for education of the pet owners/lovers there is no provided place for moral discouraging of the amateur breeding and trade.
- There is no provided public service for the owners, including low-cost sterilization of the pet animals.
- There are no provided timely marking of cats and dogs by microchips, permanent registration of all the owners, and effective registration of the change of the ownership. There is no provided obligatory companiing documentation for the animals for every case. The enfocement of the registration regime was postponed after the preparation by the Minister of a National Program for Dog Counting and Registration.
- There are provided restrictions for the access to the Register; the data will be no publically available.
- There is no provided strict licensing control over breeding and trade. The establishment of such control is connected with the future creation of the separate Rules by the Goverment. So the unlicensed, domestic breeding still exists.
- There is no provided control over the activities connected with the collection and transportation/traffic of the free roaming animals, including lost ones.
- There are provided opportunities for different reading and overlaping of the deffinitions, rights and obligations ("shelter" - "protected zone"; Inspection of NVS - National Commission for the Protection of Animals - Zoo-Police - Police - few Ministries).

Animal Programs has a clear knowledge of the true problem plus basic solutions for it: permanent registration, effective restriction of breeding and trade by licensing, discouragement of the mass demand of puppies and kittens, encouragement of early-aged sterilization.

Since December 2002 Animal Programs is the only unit, asking the most important questions in the media: How many are the breeders and dealers? How many animals are reproduced every year? How many have been left and stolen? What is their destiny? Since December 2003 Animal Programs is the only organisation insisting that Bulgarian institutions engaged in this process should vote and enact a lot better working and effective measures. We sent several letters, discussing this problem to the President of the Republic, the Parliament, the Government and the Prosecutor General, some of which have benn published in the internet.

In 2003 and 2004 we've pointed out to the Bulgarian Government numerous simple but effective measures, some included and some not in the active at that time ordinance, but no adequate reaction followed. Instead, in 2005 the Bulgarian Parliament voted a new Veterinary Act, which prohibits experiments with cats and dogs as well as reduction of their number by killing; but neglected to include an effective restraining measures for their habitual mass breeding, offering and abandonment. Meanwhile it delegated the enforcement part of the pet registration process to the municipalities.

In February 2006 we've offered to the Mayor of Sofia to meet and review the circumstances and solutions connected with the great number of appearing roaming dogs; but he declined.

In November 10 2006, in a letter to the President of Republic and the Agricultural Parliamentary Committee we insisted that pointed by us shortcomings in the legislation are to be taken under consideration and be overcome in the drafting of the new Bill. We've also suggested that the new texts are to be composed with the help of reputable in this matter professionals.

Instead, on 27 December 2007 we saw the participation of a reperesentative of the Intimate with Nature Society/IWNS in the morning talk-show of Balkan News Corporation/BTV. Despite of the obvious support for the crisis in Sofia and in the whole country, the participant declared a positive attitude to the policy of the Sofia Municipality and confirmed the cooperation between these organizations. Despite of the requirement of obligatory dog registration, provided in the present Act, the representative steted: "At this moment most of the dogs are not registered, but the registration will become obligatory, after the acception of the new Act... dog taxation will become obligatory and will restricts mass breeding". In fact, recently Council of Sofia passed registration fee of 24Leva (appr.12Euro) for the possession of unsterilized dogs.

Despite of our permanent efforts the IWNS is opposed to the most important objectives in animal welfare, e.g. described in Guidelines for Dog Population Management (a join paper of WHO and WSPA), in numerous RSPCA publications, also in numerous publications by Mr. Peter Marsh of New Hampshire concerning "No-Kill Solutions". Long ago IWNS demonstrates a positive attitude to the conducted by Tierhilfe Sueden policy of an "endless sterilization" of the stray dogs.

We sincerely hope that Bulgarian institutions engaged in this process will vote and enact a lot better working and effective measures in the new Act. By failing to do so will make us think more so that Bulgarian Government and quasi-governmental organizations are colluding with black-marketers in their revolting industry. It's revolting to us watching the team efforts to water down the above mentioned process. We understand that numerous acts of inadequate policy are still to come.

I alone can't change the strangely kept by Bulgarian authorities trend. Here all my efforts are being thwarted and ignored by Government and quasi-governmental organizations. Here and why I urge you to write demanding letters, faxes and e-mails to the institutions responsible for this peculiar situation. Please see below the short list of contacts.

Mr Georgi Parvanov, President of the Republic
2 Dondukov Blvd, 1123 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: +359 2 9239333
E-mail:
Contact form:

Mr Georgi Pirinski, Chairperson of the 40th National Assembly
2 Narodno Sabranie Square, 1169 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: +359 2 9392513
Fax: +359 2 9813131
Email:

Mr Sergei Stanishev, Prime Minister
1 Dondukov Blvd, 1194 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: +359 2 9402999
Fax: +359 2 9802056
E-mail:
Contact form:


Mr Boyko Borissov, Mayor of Sofia
former Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior
33 Moskovska Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: +359 2 9814515; 9377261
Fax: +359 2 9810703
E-mail:
Contact form:

Mr Boris Velchev, Prosecutor General
2 Vitosha Blvd, 1040 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: +359 2 9219209
Fax: +359 2 9815832
E-mail:  n.markov@prb.bg

Mrs Christina Slavova, Chairman of Intimate with Nature Society
Lyulin, 004 bl., ent. B, app. 3, 1336 Sofia, Bulgaria
Phone: +359 2 9287888
Mob.: +359 88 7590449
E-mail:  info@iwns.org
 http://www.iwns.org



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