After returning from the one week traineeship about the managing of Animal shelters, organized by Dogs Trust in Great Britain in the summer of 2011, Jenny Popova and Dr. Gergana Vitanova took immediate actions to turn the shelter in Ruse into a completely new place.

1. Municipal shelter for homeless animals
– Ruse, Bulgaria
Manager: Jenny Popova

2. History and Legislation
In September 2004 an “Isolator for homeless dogs” was
launched in Ruse. According to the regulations of the current
Law on Veterinary Activities, the dogs have been killed in a really
cruel way. At that time the isolator had the capacity of 15 cages.
In 2004 the European Union has adopted four regulations
bringing up numerous requirements for legislative changes. A
transition period until 2006 has been determined for the
legislative changes to be completed.
The mandatory implementation of a new Law on the Veterinary
Activities has been requested by the European Commission
before the first monitoring report for Bulgaria is being published.
This new law has the aim to establish a Bulgarian veterinary
legislation according to all regulations in the European Union.

3. History and Legislation
New regulations, such as the welfare oriented animal
husbandry and the well-being of animals have been
introduced. Some requirements and obligations have been
addressed to the owners of animals, the keepers of wild
animals in zoos and circuses and to the people dealing with
animal experiments. Furthermore regulations concerning
the keeping of cattle, the animal protection during
transportation, the euthanasia and the cattle slaughtering
are being considered as well. All mentioned regulations in
the Law on Veterinary Activities correspond to the
European legislation in regards to this matter. The Law for
Animal protection aims the consolidation of the National
legislation for the animal protection into one enactment. One of
the key points in the Law for Animal Protection is the program
for mass castration “Trap, Neuter & Return” which has been
recommended by the World Health Organization and it has the
purpose of the reduction of the stray animal population.

4. A new star is born 
After the Law for Animal Protection has been passed and a
program for the reduction of the population has been
implemented in the municipality of Ruse, the animal shelter in
the city has been renamed to “Municipal shelter for
homeless animals”.
According to the regulations in the Law for Animal
Protection, the team in the shelter of Ruse is performing the
following tasks: trapping the stray dogs, treating them against
parasites, vaccinating them against rabies, neutering/spaying,
micro chipping and returning the dogs back to the places
where they have been trapped. Because of these new tasks
some organizational changes have to be implemented in the
work of the animal shelters in the country.

5. Shelter organization
The " Municipal shelter for homeless animals " employs 11
people - a manager, 2 veterinarians, 4 hunters and 4 animal keepers.
The employees are trained in animal welfare. There is an electronic
database , where all details for each captured dog are being stored.
There is always a keeper on duty on each day of the week, including
weekends and public holidays.
All the dogs are fed once a day with dry food and the small ones are
fed according to their age. The full cost of maintenance of the shelter,
including facility repairs and improvements are covered by the
budget of the Municipality of Ruse.
With the adoption of a dog from the shelter, the new owner
receives a veterinary passport and the animal is vaccinated against
rabies, castrated and put his permanent mark - microchip.
In 2010 Ms Jenny Popova, who is the chairmen of the Local
Association for Animal Rescue, became a manager of the Municipal
shelter for homeless animals in Ruse.

6. Success and goals
Under the leadership of Ms Popova the number of the captured
animals for castration has significantly increased. 1162 animals have
been trapped and 902 have been neutered. The number of adopted
homeless animals housed in the shelter of the Municipality of Ruse is
228. The same trend continued in 2011 when 1165 animals were
captured and the number of the adopted ones was 240. The main
priority of the shelter is to raise the number of the dogs neutered
monthly to approx. 80 - 100. In order to reach the castration goal, a
second hunter team has been formed.
In 2010 a separate cat room with a playground was built with a
capacity of 15 animals. The shelter has obtained a license for keeping
cats. For this purpose a special equipped room was built meeting all
regulatory requirements. The funds for the furnishing of the cat
​
room are provided entirely by donations made by NGOs and
private companies. In addition to castrations of mainly female and
pregnant animals, emergency assistance to injured cats can be
provided as well. With the newly built cages in 2011 the shelter of the
Municipality of Ruse has increased its capacity to 160 dogs. A new
sewerage system, a new indoor yard area, wooden houses for each dog
with the size of the animal, domestic heating and stationary boxes
were built.

7. Pictures
On our Facebook page you can find all the adopted animals with
their new happy owners. http://www.facebook.com/animalruse
On the following pictures you can see the condition of the shelter
before all measurements and actions, recommended by Dog trust
during the traineeship in London, have been launched.

8. Dogs Trust
After returning from the one week traineeship about the
managing of Animal shelters, organized by Dogs Trust in Great
Britain in the summer of 2011, Jenny Popova and Dr. Gergana
Vitanova took immediate actions to turn the shelter in Ruse into a
completely new place. The course was part of an International
Program for education of one of the largest dog welfare charity
in UK– Dogs Trust. Only two applicants from Bulgaria have been
chosen for the traineeship – 2 of whom from Ruse. The selection of
the candidates was made amongst many applications received
from all over Bulgaria. Alongside with renowned British
Veterinarians, ethologists and representatives from more than 13
countries shared their knowledge and experience in the managing
of animal shelters. The lectures were valuable and exceptionally
useful concerning the wide variety of topics such as: dog behavior,
catching and holding techniques, management of an animal
shelter, managing and organizing of adoption campaigns,
educational programs for children, effective collection of money
and donations, public relations and many others.

9. Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust is the largest and most popular dog welfare charity in
the UK having more than 18 dog shelters in the whole country.
The Education Officers are giving thousands of classroom
presentations every year. In Europe these seminars are given 3
times a year and the lecturers can use school classrooms for their
presentations.
All the useful tips and advises gained at the conference are being
already used for the improvement of the shelter in Ruse. The result of
the work is already apparent. The number of the adopted animals has
increased 3 times. There are now better conditions for attracting
volunteers and donations, there are new benches and summer
houses. The shelter is now more attractive location for people who
love animals and the number of visitors and volunteers is
significantly increasing. There are newly built rest areas and
benches, fully equipped meeting rooms and many more.
You can find more pictures here:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?
set=a.197121840359297.48545.113270228744459&type=3

10. How to find us
On the main road leading to the shelter you can find many
direction signs about the exact location of the place.

11. Impressions
From the very beginning entering the shelter you will see recycled
car tires transformed into colorful flowerpots. The boring grey
walls of the building are lively decorated with bright and playful
paws. The logo of the shelter, created by friends, found its place on
the walls as well.

12. Impressions
The dogs are settled in extra built yard area covering
approximately 100 square meters with houses, sheds and
playgrounds.

13. Impressions

14. Employees and facilities
All employees are wearing branded uniforms with the logo of the
shelter. One of the rooms is fully equipped as a reception room for
visitors and volunteers who can comfortably take a cup of coffee or
tea in the cold winter days. You can also see the new multimedia
room equipped with TV, audio and other electronic devices.

15. Facilities
The shelter aims to set up comfortable and decent atmosphere for
educational and training events bringing up better attitude towards
animals and nature.

16. Adoption
Following the Dogs Trust model, the shelter has settled an area
helping the dogs to adapt before the adoption.

17. Internship
The shelter attracts also veterinary medicine students which has
the opportunity to make internships and educational practices
here.

18. Volunteers
Thanks to volunteers a summer playground area for the cats
nearby the main building was built.
All the improvements, acquisitions and innovations are donated or
built by volunteers and friends of the shelter. You can see a CCTV
installed, donated by generous citizens.

19. Information
According to the program of the Municipality of Ruse there are
brochures and other print materials being prepared for schools
and kindergartens promoting the shelter activities.

20. Education
There are educational and training programs organized to educate
people in better and conscious attitude towards animals and
nature, as well as ecological seminars and trainings in accordance
with the actions taken by the Regional educational inspectorate in
Ruse.
The Municipality of Ruse took part in the initiative “Manager for
one day” and invited five students from a local school to
experience one day as an employee of the dog shelter. Our trainees
were students from 10th grade of PGIU “Elias Canetti”.

21. Education
The manager of the shelter Jenny Popova presented the
problems and challenges regarding homeless animals and the
importance of having a pet at home. The visit was part of the
information campaign organized by the Municipality of Ruse
presenting the methods for decreasing the population of homeless
dogs and cats to the citizens of Ruse. The aim was to increase the
popularity of the castration, identification and control programs of
pets. A particularly important part of the improvement of the
shelter was the newly built website www.animalruse.com where
you can find presentations, pictures and other updates about the
animals and the adoption process.
Find out more about the shelter at our website or at our Facebook
page.
www.animalruse.com
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?
set=a.174497962621685.43594.113270228744459&type=3

22. Thank you!