Told by Eti Dancheva
Maybe you remember one of the very sad cases at the Bogrov shelter – Petar, a dog that was smothered in acid.
Pepi had an owner who kept him chained on a meter-long rope for over a year and a half, often left without water and only fed dry old bread. The stench, the cold, the hunger, the loneliness – they were his partners in his miserable life.
The owner was often away and whilst off the chain Petar managed to dig a hole under the fence and escape to look for food and friends.
One day he returned with a huge bloody spot on his back, one that became covered in puss only in two days. He hid and began to patiently wait for it to go away. There was no pain in his eyes, only loneliness. The same loneliness we would see when he was kicked away by the owners of pure-bred dogs, the same one you’d see when he was chained.
I thank Animal Rescue Sofia and all the donors who helped this wonderful creature. If it was not for their help he would have met the destiny of his best buddy – he was poisoned the next day after ARSofia took Petar in. The two were very much alike in looks and it is most possible that he was the intended victim.
Petar spent 11 months patiently waiting in cage 16. Those who have walked dogs in Bogrov know that he liked and got along with every dog, he loved to hug the people he met.
September 2011 Petar also took a part in the famous film “300”. The people from the production wanted a dog that had an owner, because they wouldn’t trust a shelter dog. So, none of them knew that the patient actor who spent 6 hours on 2 square meters without a word of complaint was actually homeless. Coming back from the film set Pepi was crying. But when he realised that he was going to the shelter again he began to jump happily, he recognized the place, he was brought HOME.
Today Petar is a part of a wonderful German family. Before he departed, for only a month in a foster home he learnt the basic commands in German and according to his tutor became “a perfect dog”.
Petar’s story was written by many people – ARSofia who sheltered him and saved his life, the donors who paid for his treatment, miss Ruseva and her colleagues who helped him depart, and of course – his wonderful new owner Mrs Wendt who chose him. When she learnt his story she promised one thing: “I will love him dearly!”
Seven months after his adoption she writes:
“I want to send you a few words about Pepi. He is handsome and charming. He is really wonderful. He is grateful for life. He is intelligent; he always wants to please you. He is very social with my other dogs and a gentleman. I would always take a dog from an animal rescue – he is a dream dog. I love him, the best animals come from shelters. Yasmin
This is a little Christmas story about what we can achieve when we act together, when we believe and keep doing Good. Thank you, Kind People!!!