Edit – Rijka back in the street after her recovery
Edit 18.06.2013
Thank you! The funds for Rijka’s surgery have been raised!
We received the following distress message:
“I’m writing in hope you can help a dog which was shot this morning infront of me. I live in the Vitosha area. This morning, I was walking with my dog and 3 dogs living in our area. One of these 3 dogs was sitting next of a car, and suddunly “Bam!” Someone shot her in the leg. She ran away to her place, in the street – lots of blood. The shot came from Maxi complex, I’m sure.
This dog is always keeping a distance from people. Even me, I’ve never touched her. I don’t know how to save her.
3 weeks ago, I heard the sound of pistol (I was living in a country where there was a war, so I know the soud of pistol), I saw 2 dogs run, but usually these 2 dogs are with other one brown dog, I mean always, they were always together. That day, I saw only 2 run away. I no longer see this brown dog.
If we can find the bullet from the dog which was shot today, I will go to the police and tell that I was almost shot. I don’t want to leave the person who is shooting the dogs.
Yuko”
As we got in touch it became clear that the dog is in a very bad condition and even more frightened – absolutely impossible to catch. Annie – the lady who tried to take care of her on the spot – got in touch with Ecobalance, they came to catch the dog with sedative shots and brought her to our shelter.
In wild horror and absolutely sober from the anesthetic she had only 20 minutes later, Rijka came to Bogrov with a bleeding leg, twisting and turning, biting everything that she can. It’s been a long time since we’ve had to handle a dog that us so fearful of humans. Rijka’s fear could be called a phobia and is something that will never change.
We had to sedate her so d-r Stankova could examine her leg. She was so scared that the normal dose of sedation only eased her muscles for a few minutes. Just long enough for us to see that the pellet had jammed into her radial bone, possibly braking the bone. We had to load her back onto a car and took Rijka for x-rays at CVC. There, we drew-up the balance:
In order for Rijka to be able to run from people with all her might she had to undergo surgery to: remove the jammed pellet from her bone and insert a metal plate in it so the little pieces stick together.
It was urgent. We didn’t wait. Every hour of delay lessened her chances of keeping her leg. Every day in the company of humans is pure horror for suffering Rijka. In lack of a rational thought, nervous, bitten and smothered in blood we told the vets to operate, leaving the money issue for later on.
Later on is now. Rijka’s friends have covered her stay at the hospital (we didn’t want to drive her back and forth anymore – she needed peace and quiet) and the most urgent medications. That means we must only pay for the surgery. With all the discounts we have with our friends at the Central Vet Clinic that makes BGN 300 (150E).
We understand Rijka is not a sweetie. That she doesn’t have any other future than to go back to the street when we fix her. That no donor of hers will be able to stroke her. That she will not appreciate this help, that she would run from it as fast as possible if she could, but her pain doesn’t get any better from the fact that she goes through it all alone.
Although it wasn’t our hand that pulled the trigger – the life of Rijka was in our hands. And we took the decision to consider it worth these BGN300, fully aware that very few people would donate post-factum and for a dog that is wild with fear.
If you are one of those few people who translate the horror in Rijka’s eyes as we do: “I am what I am, because you – humans – are what you are”. And if you are a person who’d like to give a second chance to this poor girl that has suffered so badly, please, donate.
We are raising donations for Rijka HERE. You can donate via PayPal, by bank or through ePay. You can also leave a donation at the desk of the CVC, only don’t forget to state that it is for the bill of Animal Rescue Sofia.
We will make sure Rijka recovers and will provide Yuko with all the documents. She will go to the police. And let’s hope that at least in the light of current events (Topolovo) they will do their duty and investigate. How much more violence can we let go unpunished in our society?