By Violina Kirova | Administrator
In the period of January through March 2026, Animal Rescue Sofia continued to work with stray animals in Bulgaria. “The Farm” shelter is the place where we treat, socialize, rehabilitate and rehome dogs and cats from the streets of the country.
With the support of the donors of Animal Rescue Sofia, in the period January – March of 2026 Franzisca Veterinary Clinic admitted for treatment 268 dogs and cats, while the vets also attended to the animals placed in “The Farm” shelter. A total of 2 244 manipulations, treatments and surgeries were performed. Sixty-six dogs and cats found their homes with good and responsible owners.
The stories of Alphina, Miguel, Mishka and Lidia are accounts of how we helped some of these dogs and cats.They are just a small number of the animals that we rescued during the reporting period.
Alphina
Alphina is a stray elderly cat that came to the Farm shelter due to ear carcinoma. Although there were not any places for cats at this moment, there was no way she could be returned back to the street. Unfortunately, Alfina’s problems were not only limited to the ear condition. Her blood count showed kidney insufficiency and anemia. Still, Alfina was very cuddly and lovable, and had huge appetite.
The treatment she received benefitted her well and her blood results gradually started to improve. If this improvement continues and she can be anesthesized without a severe risk for her life, the ear carcinoma can be removed, if the cancer cells have not spread over to the healthy parts of the ears.
Alphina has not given up so far and as long as she continues to fight, we will be there for her.
Migel
Miguel came to the shelter at the end of February 2026 and he amazed us with his desire to live, despite the severe condition he was in. Miguel had been a stray in a town in south Bulgaria, where he got hurt in a traffic accident. Both his hip joints were crashed and there were also some damages on his spine. He had only been able to move, by dragging himself on his front legs. He had spent two months on the streets in this condition.
When Miguel was admitted to the Farm shelter, the X-rays revealed that the changes in his spine were due to aspergillosis. The fungal infection had to be treated, before any surgeries to the hip joints could be conducted. The aspergillosis treatment was started and once it brought back some results, Muguel had his first orthopedic operation. One of Miguel’s hip joints was replaced with an artificial one. To everybody’s satisfaction, the operation turned Miguel from a two-legged to three-legged dog. He is now still recovering from the first surgery and once he has fully recovered from it, a second surgery for the other hip joint will be arranged.
Mishka
Mishka is 5 years old. She lived in the backyard of somebody’s car service. The people there felt sorry for the stray dog roaming around their car garage and gave Mishka a place to stay. At some point the dog started limping heavily and the people sought help for her.
When Mishka was examined by the vets, it turned out that she had anaplasmosis, mammary tumor formation, kennel cough and lameness. While the vets were providing all the initial treatments Mishka needed, she was also taken for a specialized orthopedic exam to discover the reason for the lameness.
The X-rays revealed that Mishka had already gone through an orthopedic operation that turned out not to be successful. A plate that had been inserted wrongly had ruined the heel joint of the dog and there was nothing else that could be done to restore the joint, other than remove the plate and immobilize the joint.
Mishka changed a lot after the operation – apparently the pain from the metal that had pierced the joint had caused her so much pain and trouble. Mishka had been good and cuddly ever since she came to the shelter, but after the operation she was also happy and joyful. Mishka is gradually recovering from the operation and learning to step on the leg that she hadn’t used for a long time. She is waiting for her adopters in the shelter.
Lidia
Lidia came from a municipal shelter in a nearby town, just for examination and diagnostics. After the clinical exam, it became clear that Lidia had a heart condition that required not only medication, but also some peace and quiet. That was why we offered to our colleagues to admit her to our shelter.We had recently lost one of the residents of our “Villa Daisy – Home for Old Friends,” and we had the opportunity to offer the sweet old Lidia a pleasant company within her own age group.
Lidia quickly got used to her new place and the friends she made — both human and canine. She is still in the shelter, where we hope she meets an adopter who can appreciate an elderly dog like her.
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By Violina Kirova | Senior Administrator
By By Violina Kirova | Senior Administrator
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