Rudozem Street Dog Rescue
Help us to help them
RSDR Registered Foundation No: 175647065
Rudozem Street Dog Rescue (RSDR) is a non-profit foundation that rescues Street Dogs in Bulgaria and finds loving homes for them.
* Warning - some images may be distressing *
Bulgaria has many street dogs who are often subjected to the most horrendous cruelty. They are kicked, beaten and shot on a regular basis for no other reason than that it provides certain individuals with amusement. Many of these dogs are injured, in pain, or starving and in the winter there is a high chance that they will freeze to death. We have an adoptions team in Holland and whenever possible, we find loving homes for our dogs. Some have suffered so much abuse that they are unsuitable for adoption and stay with us as permanent residents. Apart from the dogs that we do take in, we try and keep a check on others that are still on the streets or living in the forests, making sure that they are fed and if possible treated for parasites. Our aim is to raise funds to open a shelter so that we can start a sterilization scheme. It will also be used for dogs whose lives are in imminent danger, due to sickness or injury. It is unrealistic to think that we can get all the dogs off the street, but this will reduce the number of puppies who are born to this life of misery. These are not dangerous wild dogs or dogs that are a danger to livestock, many are friendly dogs who are craving love and attention. It is heartbreaking to see one of them go up to a person, wagging its tail and rolling over only to be kicked and spat on. Please help us to help them.
Since moving to Bulgaria in 2007, we have rescued many of these dogs. We sometimes have as many as 60 dogs and pups staying with us at our home. We do struggle to accommodate them all and there is the constant worry that the noise is upsetting and disturbing to neighbours. We desperately need a shelter.
Documentary on Rudozem Street Dog Rescue
A short Documentary on Rudozem Street Dog Rescue. RSDR is a non-profit foundation that rescues street dogs in Bulgaria. An Interview with Diane Rowles Founder of RSDR. Please watch and share. Photography by Tony & Diane Rowles. Edited by Anita Parsons. |
Shelter / Clinic renovations
We raised a total figure of 42,150.55 to purchase the building which will become the shelter/clinic for RSDR. The contracts were signed on the 22 December 2010. Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who helped to make this happen. We now have a lot of work and renovations to carry out before the building can be used for the intended purpose. Work will have to be done in stages as and when we have the funds and in order of priority. The existing fence has holes in it, and is not very high. We need to replace this with security fencing and get doors in the front part of the building which is open. At least then the place will be secure. We also need to make it fit for someone to be able to stay over night for security reasons. At the moment there is no boiler for hot water and no heating. Repairs will have to be carried out on the roof and we will need a builder to work out the drainage system, plumbing and electrics. Once the basics have been covered and we can start separating the building into different areas, the priority will be the clinic and isolation/quarantine area. At least then we will have somewhere for volunteer vets to work from and can offer free neuter/spay and where appropriate carry out neuter/release. The quarantine pens can be used for recovery until such time as we are able to build more pens. Hopefully in the near future, we will be able to accommodate volunteers who can help with work that needs to be done including general repairs to walls, replacing windows etc.
Quotes and estimates will be posted as we get them. |
Sign the Petition to show your support for RSDR in providing a Dog Shelter in Rudozem
| Please sign our Petition to show to the Rudozem Municipality that Rudozem needs a Dog Shelter. Letter below to the municipality. Please sign our petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/supportrsdrdogshelter/ Rudozem Street Dog Rescue became a registered non-profit foundation in 2009 All our work has been carried out using donations sent by people from countries all over the world. We have not received any help from any government or the municipality. We do not buy or sell dogs or profit from our rescue and adoption work. It costs a lot of money for each dog to be fed, microchipped, vaccinated and transported to their new homes and we have to raise funds for this which come as donations from people all over the world. In December 2010, we purchased a building in Elhovets, Rudozem. The money for the purchase was raised in donations sent by people from many different countries. The building is needed so that we can start neutering and spaying and have somewhere for dogs that are in urgent need and dogs that are available for adoption. The building will in time be fully renovated with separate rooms and areas including clinic, laundry room, isolation area, individual pens, shower room for dogs, separate facilities for staff and an office. Once new walls, windows and ceilings are built, this will cut down on any noise level. Dogs are also less likely to bark when there are fewer numbers in each separate area. Proper drainage facilities will be installed and solid fencing around the outside perimeter to stop dogs barking at people walking past. CCTV cameras have already been installed and more will be added in the future. Someone will be at the building both day and night. We have volunteer vets from other countries who are willing to come to Rudozem to neuter and spay. They are prepared to teach any local vets how to spay females and to teach the special methods required for neuter and release. It is our intention to offer a free service for anyone who wants their dogs sterilized and to start a neuter/release scheme where any un-owned dogs can be sterilized, rabies vaccinated, treated for parasites and ear tagged. We have removed many dogs from the streets but without neutering and spaying, more dogs will continue to be born so we have to deal with the root of the problem. Since 2009 we have taken 243 dogs off the streets and 22 cats. Research and statistics show that one un-spayed female and her pups can produce 67,000 dogs in six years which clearly shows the need for what we intend to do. In May 2011 we were refused the change of use for the building. Our first volunteer vets were due to come from the UK in August of this year to train local vets and offer free sterilization for dogs and cats. Due to being refused the change of use, this has now had to be cancelled. It was estimated that 60 animals would be sterilized during the week that the vets would have been here and then local vets would have been able to do future sterilizations. Now that will just leave another 60 plus dogs to carry on reproducing and add to the problem of street dogs. Diane and Antony Rowles ( Rudozem Street Dog Rescue) Short Video Documentary on Rudozem Street Dog Rescue: Photo Albums of 11 Adoption Trips since June 2009 http://www.streetdogrescue.com/apps/photos/category?id=541583 Newspaper articles published around the World about RSDR. http://www.streetdogrescue.com/media.htm Newspaper Articles on Rudozem Newspaper |
Isolators in Bulgaria
There are 30 council run dog shelters across Bulgaria. These shelters are more often than not, places of torture run by sick individuals. This is one of the reasons why we are striving to open our own shelter.
Dogs are often left with no food and water. For some,the only thing they can eat, is the dogs that have already died. These places are the last stop for so many animals. One isolator reported killing over 47,725 dogs in just one,two week period. To cut down on costs, they are often beaten to death or just left to starve. These are just a few pictures, taken inside some of Bulgaria's dog sheters, known as dog isolators.
Please join our Social Groups
NL
 Rudozem Street Dog Rescue Visit this group |
Shop Online and support RSDR
Got some shopping to do online? Next time when shopping go through Easyfundraising, and purchase your goods. Choose from over 2000 of the UK's best known retailers including many popular names such as Amazon, M&S, Argos, John lewis and HMV, and when you shop using the links on our site, up to 15% from every purchase will go to the RSDR.
| Search using Easysearch and you support the RSDR |
Vote for RSDR!!
2012 Calendars Available now
December 2011 Newsletter
Fundraise for the RSDR
Collect all 12 RSDR Plushies
RSDR Facebook
Recent Videos
