Seeing the lives that street dogs in Bulgaria have can be heartbreaking. Many street dogs are abandoned due to illness, pregnancy, or because people no longer want them.

There is a trend: many people move to villages for the summer to grow vegetables, get a dog to guard their garden from birds, wildlife, or people, and then, once they have harvested their crops, move back to the towns, leaving the dogs surplus to requirements and thrown out.

Initially, our aim was catch, neuter, and release. However, this does not work in many villages; people simply do not want the dogs there. Many of our released dogs were found injured, dead, or poisoned.

Take Zara, for example. She was a gorgeous girl living near an apartment block on the streets of Dryanovo, cared for by a lovely lady. People with sticks chased Zara away from this area, and we found her by a pizza restaurant in town. Hungry and abused, we had to bring her home. Now, she lives happily in Buckinghamshire, UK.

We have rescued many abandoned puppies left to die in the middle of nowhere, often next to busy main roads where their fate was likely death. Kirby, for instance, was found running on the main road a few kilometres from town at just six weeks old. Now, she lives in Germany and is dearly loved.

Then there are dogs like Big Lad, a permanent resident at Street Hearts BG. He lived with people who beat him and locked him in their shed to die. Fortunately, the mayor intervened five days after he was abandoned. Big Lad has major issues and is a bite risk, so he will live out his days with us - a lovely boy who suffered awful cruelty.