Animal Abuse in Bulgaria
Who Protects the Victims and Who Punishes the Guilty
In November 2022, a man in Bulgaria was arrested after a video of him beating a dog nearly to death went viral. In an article by NOVA TV, Svetoslav Petrov, part of Animal Rescue, said that the dog later named Mecho was discovered with fractures on his front leg, having been severely assaulted both with objects and hands. The dog’s entire body was covered with cuts and bruises, his paws were restrained to stop him from escaping. Тhis story sparked a major backlash and a number of protests in different parts of Bulgaria. Mecho is the main reason animal mistreatment became a hot topic in Bulgaria once again. The abuser got arrested, but how many others did not?
Is Mecho the only one?
In 2014, someone put a firecracker into a stray cat’s mouth and let it explode. An article from BNR reported the story of a pregnant cat named Mila who was shot with a sadist’s riffle. The cat did survive, but for a full week, no one even offered the injured cat any food or drink. A few days prior, another kitten who suffered for at least ten days on the street after being shot, was saved. Like Mila, the kitten spent days searching for its savior. Not only that. Both pets and stray animals often get poisoned on the streets.
What are the laws against animal abuse in Bulgaria?
According to the Animal Protection Act from 2011, animal protection shall comprise protection of animals’ life, health, and good condition; protection from inhumane, cruel, and extremely cruel treatment; ensuring proper care and living conditions, adapted to their physiological and behavioral specifics. Inhumane treatment and cruelty to animals are prohibited. This includes causing pain or suffering to an animal or causing intense fear. Since 2011, cruelty to animals in Bulgaria has been deemed a crime punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of 1,000 to 5,000 leva. In 2016, a zoo police force was founded, yet, data shows that crimes against animals are increasing every year.
What does the zoo police do?
Despite that the zoo police was established in 2016, there is hardly any information about its work and no data at all regarding the animals saved for the seven years it has been operating. An article published by bTV featuring a 2018 statement by former minister Valentin Radev reports that there should be about 15 police officers responsible for animal cruelty in each district. The first training for police officers to fight crimes against animals was held in 2019, according to Inspector Kamen Nikolov. Training has been provided to 40 police officers from all over the country. He did add, though, that the Bulgarian zoo police is only permitted to get involved in cases of animal abuse, when an animal is murdered, when animal fights are held without a permit, or when an animal poses a danger to the general public.
What is the government doing about it?
According to a recent piece by bTV, only 13% of the 1,060 animal cruelty cases that were reported over the past three years have been investigated, while most of them remain unsolved. In front of BNR, lawyer Valentina Kamenarska shares that Bulgarians are witnessing little or no animal welfare. In a report posted by BNR, published right after Mecho’s story stunned the media, Lawyer Karadzhova stated that convictions for animal abusers are still counting on the fingers of a hand and are typically fines. She thinks that the application of penalties for crimes carrying a maximum sentence of three years in jail is an insufficient punishment. According to her, the abusers in these situations pay the fines and carry on. Citizens and non-governmental organizations now have to fight against animal maltreatment alone.
How do organizations help?
One of the main activities of the Four Paws foundation is to make developing and enforcing laws against animal mistreatment. They were one of the main organizations that actively lobbied parliament for amendments to the Criminal Code. Animal Rescue is another organization that aims at helping and taking care of stray or abused animals and placing them in caring permanent homes.
What can Bulgarians do about it?
Speaking out against cruelty and neglect as well as providing time, money, or other resources to animal protection organizations is important. In case citizens witness animal abuse, Four Paws advises people to report it by dialing 112, contacting local authorities, or going directly to the closest police station. Recent data suggest that the majority of reported cases of animal abuse do not receive further investigation. People can advocate for stronger animal protection laws by contacting organizations and elected officials and urging them to support legislation that will better protect animals from cruelty and abuse.
Margarita Arsova is a Journalism and Mass Communication student at the American University in Bulgaria. She is an animal rights advocate.
