„Animal SOS“ Tscherno More Comenius team from Wilhelmshaven at a private dog shelter near Burgas (23/24 October 2011)

Animal SoS: a dog shelter near Burgas In October 2011 we (five students and two teachers from Wilhelmshaven) had the chance to meet Mrs M. Peeva, who is responsible for the dog shelter „Animal SoS“ near Burgas and to accompagny her at her work.

Information about „Animal SoS“ „Love has no race“ … Private Foundation Founder: Alexander S., who still finances the shelter privately September 2009: beginning of construction work 12 km north from Burgas, near Tscherno More place for dogs which can‘t survive on the streets Sometimes first aid for birds etc. … is the motto on the red sign at the right hand side.

The area of the shelter 11.ooo m² Main area (6.ooo m²): central place with several kennels and small building with office, treatment room, small kitchen, toilet for staff and bath roomfor dogs, storage room for dog food, medicine, linen etc. building is small, but sufficient for the time being; heated with coal

The manager Mrs Peeva is the manager; she is also responsible off the routine medical treatment of dogs, for example Soraya (see below). She knows every dog in the shelter accurately. She is educated as teacher with music in kindergarden. That‘s why she has good ideas how to make young people sentisized for animal protection; she developed projects and realized them with local schools.

Treatment for injured dogs Dogs, hit by car accidents… … get help here.

Treatment of small wounds Eike and Michèle could help Mrs Peeva…

Treatment of small wounds … to treat this little puppy

The staff You can see and feel it: All employees like dogs. Mitko and Sneshana Mitko You can see and feel it: All employees like dogs.

The dogs The first thought was to have rooms for the shelter and rooms for a dog pension which should help to finance the shelter. But very soon every place was needed for shelter dogs. The shelter , made for 150 dogs, acco- modates now 170 dogs.

Some of the dogs we met… Mini, the dog with the beautiful eyes… Soraya, who lost a leg due to men‘s cruelty a week ago and still loves humans so much…

Some of the dogs we met…

Some of the dogs we met… An old lady … … and a dog who waited longingly for a little bit caressing

Some of the dogs we met…

All dogs liked to be caressed …

The kennels

Information about kennels Three or more dogs live together in one kennel. They can see other dogs as well. Every kennel has a house . The house for puppies and half of the other houses have underfloor heating. To every house belongs a kennel with 100 m² .

The kennels

This plywood will be used in building protective layers against snow. Plans for the kennels Construction work isn‘t over yet, especially as winter time is coming: - The area needs concrete, so that the dogs won‘t stand in mud. - Plywood will be used as protective substance to prevent snow coming into the entrances (and than the room inside)of the dog houses. This plywood will be used in building protective layers against snow.

Plans for the kennels Another plan is to bring water pipes to the dog houses. At the moment, the situation is: In summer water can be transported with a water hose. In winter, however, with snow and minus 10-15 degrees, you can‘t use the water hose. Therefore the members of the staff have to lug the water – bucket after bucket – through the whole shelter, to every house. Water pipes would make their work considerably easier. It‘s planned to put concrete on some more area; this measure shall prevent dogs from wading through deep mud in autumn and winter.

The team of „Animal SoS“ tries to make life in the shelter as pleasant as possible for their charges. The best place, however, is a new home How to find a home for a dog? Information about the concept of „Animal SoS“

Adoption of a dog / work with foster families them used to contact with various people and the world outside the shelter . Adoption happens only after control visit and with contract; repeated control visits follow when the dog is in its new home. Castration is important. In special cases: foster families instead of / before adoption. Search for „godparents“ for old and sick animals To make it easier to place shelter dogs into families, there is cooperation with people (also children) who take the shelter dogs for a walk and to make Will they ever leave the shelter? The team from „Animal SoS“ tries their best to help them finding a home .

More information http://animal-sos.eu/ (in Bulgarian)

Visit and report (text and pictures) made by: Thikana T. Eike Sch. Timo K. Hendrik S. Michèle B. Peter A. Anke W. from: Gymnasium am Mühlenweg / Wilhelmshaven In October 2011 we took part in a Comenius project meeting („APE – animal protection in Europe“) at our Bulgarian partner school in Stara Zagora. Our visit to „Animal SoS“, Tscherno More, took place following this meeting. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.