“He was only skin and bones .
On a quiet stretch of wooded road near Elin Pelin, Bulgaria, Stilyana Gerova’s car broke down. Gerova pulled over to change her tire, not knowing her vehicle trouble would soon save a little life.
On the side of the road, Gerova spotted a frail puppy running around with something brown looped around his neck.
The pup had been looking for food in the garbage and had gotten tangled in a KFC takeout bag.
“I found him near the road where there is a train station in the forest,” Gerova told The Dodo. “He was only skin and bones — very hungry and afraid.”
Gerova, an animal rights activist who runs the rescue Breed Love Bulgaria, was the perfect person to help. She jumped into action, securing the distressed dog, and loaded him into her car.
“Unfortunately, this is everyday life in Bulgaria,” Breed Love Bulgaria wrote on Facebook. “Dogs are unwanted and then simply abandoned.”
The puppy, later named Zaki, joined over 200 dogs and 80 cats being cared for at the rescue. There, Zaki began to open up, showing himself to be social, friendly and curious.
“[He] approaches people openly and appreciates any attention. His greatest passion is walks, where he happily explores the world,” Breed Love Bulgaria wrote on Instagram. “With his curious and playful nature, he brings a lot of energy and zest for life, but at the same time he also enjoys relaxed cuddles.”
Zaki, who is approximately 1 year old, does well with other dogs and is getting used to cats. His eagerness to learn lends itself to an active family. But really, according to his rescuers, he just needs a “loving person who gives him time and attention.”
Every two or three months, a transport driven by Gerova brings homeless dogs and cats to their foster and adoptive homes at a meeting point in Germany. If you are interested in Zaki, please contact Breed Love Bulgaria to see if he could be a good fit for your family.
“He travels with an EU pet passport and will be microchipped, vaccinated, dewormed, and tested for Mediterranean diseases, parvo, and giardia at the time of departure.”
Gerova’s unlucky flat ended up being just what the sweet Zaki needed to survive, and hopefully, thrive.
To learn more about the adoption process, you can check out Breed Love Bulgaria’s website. To help other abandoned dogs like Zaki, you can make a donation here.