Rudozem Street Dog Rescue

Latest News from Diane

15th July

We found Hercules again tonight. As soon as the van stopped and we got out, he ran off but ran down to the school. Tony managed to coax him for food, so he has been fed again. We then went to try and get some pups that were up a mountain at the side of the road. Luke and his friend Lubo, managed to get up there and did eventually catch three of the pups. It wasn't easy as the pups aren't used to people and it was quite dangerous. there are still more pups up there but we had to leave it as it was getting dark. The police arrived and asked what we were doing. someone had called them to say we were causing problems. Kerry explained to them that we were getting pups from the mountain. they were very pleasant and asked if we were the ones with the charity and told us to just carry on.

Videos of Mountain Rescue

A mother dog in the forest

Luke and Lubo on a Rescue Mission Part 1

Luke and Lubo on a Rescue Mission Part 2

Luke and Lubo on a Rescue Mission Part 3

19th July

we were out looking for Hercules this evening to feed him but couldn't find him anywhere. We then had a phonecall from Kerry at 9pm to say she had seen him, so we went straight away. Hercules actually looked pleased to see Tony for the first time. He was still very jumpy and backed away if Kerry or I went near him. Tony fed him and Hercules even gave a tail wag and allowed tony to touch him for the first time. He seemed to be limping on one of his front legs but it would take more trust before Tony could look at his leg. It was a big breakthrough.

Photo:  "Tonight i had one of those moments where all is right with the world. I had just finnished feeding Hercules and gave him some Bonios, i stood up said goodnight and as i turned to walk away he took a few steps and nudged my hand, i knelt down and stroked him. For those few seconds my heart lept my throat dried up my eyes welled up. What more can i say." From Tony

22nd July

We haven't seen Hercules for the past three days but still keep going out looking for him.

We were driving back along the mountain road from Smolian to Rudozem and a mother dog and pup were walking in the middle of the road. It is a very windey road with lots of blind bends. We jumped out and tried to coax them to the side of the road with food. the mother dog was very timid and wouldn't come near us. The pup wouldn't let her get any of the food and she was very thin. We made the hard decision to take the pup before it got killed. further down the road we came across another pup that was limping but heading in the same direction. It was obviously being left behind as she couldn't keep up. We managed to get her aswell. Tommy and cindy have been moved into one of the other puppy pens with other pups and the two new pups are in the pen that they were in.

Both pups were sick on the journey home. It was a good job that Micky was sick as he brought up a green plastic carrier bag. Damson is favouring both legs on her right side. Her front paw seems to be swolen but there are no obvious serious injuries.

Left Photo:  Mother dog with one of her pups.   Right Photo:  New pups found on the way home from Smolian.

Damson on the left, Micky on thr right.  Damson limps on her front and back leg on her right side.  Micky was sick and brought up a green plastic bag. Both are very thin.

23rd July

Although I have said it on other posts, I have to say again that it is wrong and dangerous to assume that Hercules is gentle. He is a karakachan and has spent all his life as a guarding dog. These dogs are used for guarding flocks because they are quite capable of protecting the flocks from wolves and even bears. They are usually not socialised and will attack any person or any animal that goes anywhere near them or their flock. It is usual that they can only ever be approached by one person and that is the shepherd or their master who they have known from being young. I am not saying that Karakachans can't make brilliant family pets but they would have to be socialised while young. People here know not to approach them as any karachan you see anywhere round here is going to be a working guard dog, not a pet. Hercules is not a dog that will be used to ever having hugs and cuddles from anyone. Don't get me wrong, my heart breaks for this dog, especially knowing that the one person he was loyal to has replaced him with a younger dog and driven him away. Maybe one day he will transfer that trust and loyalty to Tony but we have to be extremely careful. Even if we eventually have room for him and Tony is able to get him home, we cannot afford to take chances or make assumptions about him. He could quite easily kill the other dogs or attack someone else in the family. We will continue trying to do our best for Hercules. At the moment we are going out four times a day to look for him with the last check being at 9 pm when it is getting dark. I hope this explains why apart from having no room, we are unable to take Hercules in at the moment. Nobody hopes more than me and Tony, that eventually we will gain his trust and be able to take him off the streets.

We have taken dogs off the streets that have taken months before we could get anywhere near them. Sadie is one such dog. My worry is that if different authorities become aware of Hercules and the local municipality become aware of him and the attention that he is causing, then they will contact one of the isolators to come and dart him and take him away. His only fate then would be torture and a painfull and undignified death.