Title: Outpouring of Support for Disappeared Boy’s Dog in Konaere Village
A wave of solidarity has swept across Bulgaria after a appeal was launched to find a home for the dog of the missing 13-year-old Nicky from the village of Konaere, near Stara Zagora. Many have stepped forward, offering to take the dog in.
Nicky’s mother stated yesterday that the family does not want the dog and expressed concern for its wellbeing, as it appears malnourished. The dog is currently in a delicate condition, and veterinarians have advised that its prognosis is poor.
However, a twist came today when the boy’s stepfather, who has been caring for the dog for over a year, refused to give it up. "I’m not giving it away," Dimitar Yankov told bTV. "Veterinarians came yesterday and gave it some food. They’re coming again on the 27th to give it an injection, chip it, and sort out its documents. I can’t just give it away, I’ve been looking after it for over a year."
When asked why his wife had suggested finding another home for the dog, Yankov replied, "She’s a mess right now, she’s distraught because of the child. She doesn’t want to see the dog, but I will because a house needs a dog."
Tatyana Baycheva from the ‘New Chance for Rejected Angels’ organization in Kazanluk has taken the dog temporarily to provide medical care and treatment. She has assured the family that she will return the dog once it has recovered.
"Konaere’s dog is now with me," Baycheva wrote on Facebook. "We’re on our way to ‘Flamingo’ clinic. I took it under difficult circumstances, with a promise to return it after it’s checked. What happens next depends on the test results. The dog was in a state of collapse, in a fridge box. There was some food. The man refused to give it up because he was promised a lot of medical help. I don’t know how events will unfold, and I can’t guarantee I can keep it unless we do this by the book."
Baycheva also expressed concern about the dog’s future on Facebook, saying, "Whoever told you that chipping the dog would solve the problem? Right now, it’s tied to a drainpipe, without a shelter, shivering from the cold. It’s sick, it’s dying. You’re going to chip it! And they’ll start taking care of it tomorrow? Feeding it, taking it to the vet, walking it?"
The dog was first seen in the village on Sunday around 7:30 PM and was recognized by Nicky’s mother and stepfather.
Despite being stressed, the dog was taken along in an attempt to trace the missing boy, but without success. Nicky has been missing for eight days, and now the military has joined the search operation. Interior Minister Aatanas Ilkov assured the public that the search will continue, albeit with a smaller team from tomorrow.
