When a young dog named Duke was rumored to have a contagious disease, his neighbors in a Bulgarian village did exactly what they were told: they stayed away. For 10 days, nobody helped him. Then one woman noticed.
The Rumor and the Chain
Duke was about 10 months old when the story began. A rumor spread that he carried a highly contagious illness and that nobody should go near him. He was chained to an old vehicle outside in the summer heat, with no one tending to him.
By the time help arrived, he was covered in fleas and lying in his own waste, too hurt to move.
A Neighbor Speaks Up
A woman named Alie who lived nearby couldn’t stand to see him suffer. She contacted Rudozem Street Dog Rescue (RSDR), a charity in southern Bulgaria that rescues street dogs and finds them homes in the UK and the Netherlands.
Co-founder Tony Rowles arrived and found a terrified dog. “There was a stench of ammonia,” he later told The Dodo. The sight, he said, was “totally overwhelming.”
Injuries No One Expected
A vet confirmed that the problem wasn’t disease. Duke’s feet had been crushed, and RSDR said his legs and feet appeared to have been deliberately smashed, with bones and ligaments broken. “Bones were just floating about in his feet,” Rowles said.
Duke was also underweight. Despite everything, the dog greeted his rescuer by kissing the first hand held out to him.
Healing at Home
Rather than put Duke in the crowded shelter, Rowles took him home to join his family and other rescued pets. For the first weeks, Duke was fearful and backed away from people, but he soon formed an attachment to Rowles’s wife, Diane. After surgery and months of recovery, he was back on his feet.
A Forever Home in England
A woman named Diana in England saw Duke on RSDR’s website and wanted to adopt him. RSDR posted a farewell on February 6, 2015, wishing him a wonderful new life, and Rowles later described the goodbye as a tearful one. Duke now lives with Diana and is described as a happy, healthy dog who loves to run and play.
The Rescue Behind the Story
RSDR was started by the Rowles family, who moved from the UK to Rudozem in 2007 and soon became caretakers of local street dogs. They now run a non-profit shelter that has rehomed hundreds of dogs across Europe.
How to Help Dogs Like Duke
If Duke’s story moved you, there are practical ways to help:
- Donate to a rescue. Compare animal rescue charities and street dog rescues that publish how funds are used.
- Sponsor a dog. Dog sponsorship programs help cover vet bills and food.
- Adopt. Consider adopting a rescue dog from a shelter or foreign rescue.
- Protect your own dog. Pet insurance can help with emergency vet and surgery costs.
- Speak up. If you see an animal in distress, report it to local animal welfare authorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Duke? Duke is a young dog from Bulgaria who was chained outside for 10 days and found with badly injured feet before being rescued by Rudozem Street Dog Rescue.
What was wrong with Duke’s feet? A vet found his feet were crushed, with broken bones and damaged ligaments. RSDR said they appeared to have been deliberately smashed.
Did Duke recover? Yes. After surgery, care and rehabilitation, he was adopted by a woman in England.
What is Rudozem Street Dog Rescue? It’s a non-profit shelter in southern Bulgaria that rescues street dogs and finds homes for them in the UK and the Netherlands.
Sources: iHeartDogs.com, Tribuna de Jundiaí, and the Stornoway Gazette, all covering the rescue of Duke by Rudozem Street Dog Rescue in Bulgaria, Tony Rowles’s account to The Dodo, and the shelter’s work.
Leave a Reply