SOFIA DOG MASSACRE. MEPs HAVE BEEN PRAISING THE SOFIA STRAY DOG CONTROL BASED ON ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE AND MISSING ANIMAL SHELTER STATISTICS.

BACKGROUND. In 2006, catching, neutering and releasing (a.k.a. CNR) at a large scale for stray dogs was proclaimed by then Sofia mayor and further PM Boyko Borisov as an effective approach in dealing with dog overpopulation issue, i.e. dog population management (DPM). The release of some 11,000 neutered strays in just a couple of years proved to do not affect the local dog population dynamics. In Sofia, the local dog population is believed to count some 150,000 owned animals, indeed, while massive and arbitrary pet breeding, supply and demand present a nationwide sport. Thenceforward, officials sticked to shady practices of stray dog control coupled with reporting only incomplete and arbitrary data on stray dog removal and animal shelter operations i.e. dog intakes and outcomes. Tens of thousands of dogs became victims of enforced disappearance, with no comprehensive account and comprehensible explanation on the ways of their disposition. All that clearly indicates an ongoing policy run by Sofia local authority and supported by relevant national bodies for decades that encomprises institutional animal abuse and systematic cruelty to the dogs impounded in the virtual concentration camps.

THE MYTH. A quotation of 2022 statement is publicly available on the website of the Animal Welfare Intergroup in the European Parliament. “It is incredible to see the amazing results of a well designed, evidence based approach as it is the case of the population management in Sofia, Bulgaria where the number of stray dogs went from 11,124 in 2007 to 3,589 in 2018 through a strategic approach that combined mass-sterilisation, rabies vaccination and free neutering for pet animals,” Petras Auštrevičius, then Companion Animals Working Group Chair, said. In fact, Mr. Auštrevičius’ praise is entirely focused on the aftermath of Sofia Dog Massacre that occurred during Bloody Age, 2009 to 2016, while it ignores animal welfare issue and humane dog population management. The silent support of this irrelevant stance provided by the Animal Welfare Intergroup (2024-2029) shall be withdrawn.

THE SOFIA AUTHORITY HAS FORCIBLY DISAPPEARED 28,000 ROAMING DOGS. Below are summarised 2009-2016 Sofia animal care & control intakes and outcomes based on numbers reported by Sofia authority. 2009, 2010 and 2011 catch, adoption and death/euthanasia numbers included are reported by then mayor Jordanka Fandakova. 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 catch and adoption numbers are obtained from the single available publication on the Ecoravnovesie website. All 2012 data plus missing 2009 to 2016 disposition numbers are collected from numerous media quotations of claims made by four consecutive Ecoravnovesie directors. Municipal Enterprise Ecoravnovesie is the Sofia entity responsible for legal animal care and control.

TABLE BELOW. 2009-2016 animal shelter intake and outcome numbers as reported by Sofia authority

Dogs available in care 1st JanuaryN.A.
Dogs caught, total38,673
Dogs relinquished by ownersN.A.
Dogs transferred from other institutions/organisationsN.A.
REPORTED SHELTER DOG INTAKE TOTAL38,673
Dogs reunited with ownersN.A.
Dogs adopted, total4,877
Dogs dead or euthanised, total3,257
Dogs released, by years:
2009, 3,000
2010, 2,773
2011, n.a.
2012, 3,748
2013 (Jan-Jul), 2,524
2014, n.a.
2015, 254
2016, n.a.
Dogs released, total12,299
Dogs transferred to other institutions/organisationsN.A.
Dogs escapedN.A.
Dogs stolenN.A.
Dogs rest in care 31st DecN.A.
REPORTED SHELTER DOG DISPOSITION TOTAL20,433

THE BALANCE. Balance of Ecobalance* reports on Intakes and Outcomes in Bloody Age, 2009-2016

A. REPORTED SHELTER INTAKE TOTAL: 38,673 dogs
B. REPORTED SHELTER DISPOSITION TOTAL: 20,433 dogs
C=A-B. UNREPORTED SHELTER DISPOSITION TOTAL: 18,240 dogs
D. MISREPORTED SHELTER DISPOSITION**:
3,000 (2009) +2,773 (2010) +3,748 (2012) / total 9,521 dogs
E=C+D. UNDERCOVER SHELTER DISPOSITION / MISSING TOTAL: 27,761 dogs

* Translated from Bulgarian, the word “ravnovesie” means “balance.”

** Stray dog population survey of September-October 2013 found 2,530 sterilised dogs available in public. Officials reported 12,045 dog releases in the 4 years 8 months preceding the survey. This seems extremely incredible. Reported 2,524 dog releases done from January to July 2013, just before the survey, seem to be realistic. The rest 9,521 dog dispositions should be considered as grossly misreported.

ADDITIONAL NUMBERS. The following additional cumulative totals of unreported shelter dog dispositions are referring to the years before and after the period under consideration: 90 dogs from July 2007 to December 2008; and 709 dogs from January 2017 to August 2024.

FIND OUT HERE > complete and more detailed dataset on 2006-2024 Sofia animal shelter operations.