A Brief Newsround - Week Ending 28/03/21

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Todorovden, a day in Bulgaria dedicated to the celebration of horses, fell on 20th March this year. Elsewhere in the country events take place with well cared for horses on show.  Near where I live and where LIFE (Lucy Irvine Foundation Europe) operates, there are crude races at former airstrips with unfit Roma-owned horses competing. It was at one such event that I met a mare later confiscated from her violent and unstable owner in a joint operation with police. For safety reasons,  I can't discuss this further publicly but if anyone wants to know what happened please message me on my Facebook page.




During the week we collected both feline and canine cases for sterilisation. But it seems that for every one we prevent from creating more puppies, another local dog produces a litter. Seventeen babies were reported born on Tuesday and twelve 4 week old pups found abandoned. We traced three of the latter and now support them in the community.






 Wednesday brought another welcome visit from experienced horse woman Joanna Heeney, who's teaching our gifted schoolboy helper, Daniel, useful skills to help him in his work with our rescued horses. As well as goodies from the U.K. and useful blankets for horses she brought 2 bewildered little dogs with an exceptionally tragic recent history. Their English owner, who'd come to Bulgaria for a quiet life, was brutally murdered in front of them. Friends of the victim rallied to find places for her many beloved dogs.  Choshko and Beanie will stay with us until they've recovered from their traumatic experience, at which stage we'll seek homes for them. Do look at our album of dogs available for adoption now.



LIFE's core mini herd of rescued horses scared me by going awol in the early hours one misty morning. Someone who's since apologised left a gate not properly fastened. I alerted Daniel as soon as there was a glimmer of light. Horses here are stolen all the time, whether microchipped or not. When a horse is chopped up for meat consumed in backyards a microchip doesn't help much. Daniel found the main mini herd together, investigating grazing in an area perilously close to a Roma area. Selim, our mischievous clown of a rescued donkey, took longer to find. He'd left the horses to sample what some calves and goats were having for breakfast. Our horses were lucky. They were found fast. Another I sent to be homed elsewhere was never found after she was stolen. This is why LIFE pays guards to watch over our horses while they graze. Horses left grazing alone, vanish. 


Some of LIFE's Handsome Herd


Selim, after his adventurous escapade


In some cases it is Roma who steal horses but not always, and the fact that horses are stolen when grazing makes management of their own animals difficult, too. They have to find money for hay to feed horses tucked into lean-to shelters next to their humble homes rather than leaving them out to feed on grass at night. In winter LIFE is endlessly begged for bales.





The last horse pictured above has been of particular concern to us. Thanks to the kindness of supporters we've been able to supply her with feed, lucerne and hay,  but her condition continues to deteriorate. At LIFE's request, bloods were taken this week by a local livestock vet and tested for a variety of problems. Results indicated, however, that this poor girl's problems are mostly connected to the way her owners treat her. Even when extremely weak and near skeletal we suspect they've made her haul loads of heavy wood and the local vet is sure of it. A plan is afoot to get her away from the owners for proper rest. 


In cat news this week , we've had numerous requests for help with spays and neuters from responsible Bulgarians who don't want to have to throw away unwanted litters anymore. 




We do all we can but there's no local free sterilisation scheme for cats and we don't always have the funds to pay. If you'd like to support our efforts to humanely reduce the number of unwanted cats, you can make a donation here. 



The week ended with Ilia's family making the move to their new home - using barrows and carts. It's a big step for them and for the village, too, that they've finally been allowed to buy a house in an area mostly occupied by Bulgarians. Before this they were refused six houses because of their race. I am proud that Ilia's record of work for LIFE has contributed to him being accepted as a responsible citizen deserving a well located home and respect in our village.

 




Ilia & Tsanke


For daily updates about life at LIFE see here.  If you would like to support our work by donating you can do so here.

Thank you. 

Lucy


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