An Open Letter to Mr Boyko Borissov, Mayor of Sofia EU

by Emil Kuzmanov

Concerning: Illegal farming of stray animals


Dear Sir,

After the 1989, a huge number of unregistered dogs of unknown origin (fertile and sterilized) started to appear constantly in the streets of Sofia. Most of them lived outside for some time, receiving food and water from the people. Some of them disappeared without a trace; other fallen for a short period of time in the Municipal Shelter, where very often they disappeared too. In their place new dogs appeared in the streets and their destiny was the same. More over - most of the owners of lost dogs did not find their pets in the Municipal Shelter.

Since your election for a Mayor of Sofia in 2005, your intentions for saving the life of the stray/neighbourhood dogs are loudly proclaimed. Unfortunately, you haven't taken any effective measures for the restriction of this process. Even you avoid to discuss the World's accepted basic no-kill/low-kill solutions i.e. registration, early-aged sterilization, re-homing, licensing of breeders and dealers.

The stray problem is similar to that under the rule of your predecessor Mr Stefan Sofianski (1995-2005). There are no transparency and strict accounting: there are no inspections of the doubtful non-government organizations working with strays; there is no established a register of the neighbourhoods; there is no surveying data about available, appearing and disappearing animals in the districts. The appearance and disappearance of unwanted dogs continued; the disappearance of the lost pets also continued.

Obviously the inadequate policy of the Municipality of Sofia in the area of animal control served to the interest of the criminal industry, using pet animals - they are turned into victims of uncontrolled animal testing and source of cheap raw-material. Sofia was turned into a farm for stray animals.

Because of the listed above reasons, a review and change in the current policy of the Municipality of Sofia in animal control is needed. You must make an urgent effort to restrict the illegal farming of unwanted animals and kidnapping of owned animals.

I would like to thank you in advance and I’ m waiting forward to your fast answer.


Emil Kuzmanov

The Animal Programs Foundation of Bulgaria
18 Yanko Sofiiski Voivoda Str, 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria
Telephone: +359 2 8655623

C.c.: The Municipality of Sofia <info (at) sofia.bg>

C.c.: The Public Ombudsman of Sofia <ombudsman (at) sofia.bg>

C.c.: The Prosecutor General of the Republic of Bulgaria <n.markov (at) prb.bg>