When Stilyana Gerova’s car broke down on a quiet wooded road near Elin Pelin, Bulgaria, she thought it was just bad luck. But as it turned out, that unexpected stop was about to save a life.
As Gerova stepped out to fix her tire, something caught her eye — a tiny, frail puppy darting along the roadside, something brown looped tightly around his neck.
It was 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.”
The poor pup had been scavenging for food in discarded trash when the bag became tangled around him, trapping him as he struggled to breathe and move.
Fortunately, fate had placed him in the path of the perfect person. Gerova is an animal rights advocate and founder of Breed Love Bulgaria, a rescue dedicated to saving abandoned dogs and cats. Without hesitation, she scooped up the terrified puppy, secured him safely, and brought him to her car.
“Unfortunately, this is everyday life in Bulgaria,” Breed Love Bulgaria later wrote on Facebook. “Dogs are unwanted and then simply abandoned.”
Gerova named the puppy Zaki, and soon he joined more than 200 dogs and 80 cats already under the rescue’s care. There, Zaki began to heal — and to show his true personality.
“[He] approaches people openly and appreciates any attention,” the rescue shared on Instagram. “His greatest passion is walks, where he happily explores the world. 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.”
Now about a year old, Zaki gets along well with other dogs and is learning to live peacefully with cats. His rescuers say he’d thrive with an active family — but more than anything, he just needs someone kind and patient to give him the love he’s been missing.
Every few months, Gerova personally drives a transport of rescued dogs and cats from Bulgaria to Germany, where they meet their new foster or forever families.
Zaki will travel with his EU pet passport and arrive microchipped, vaccinated, dewormed, and tested for parvo, giardia, and Mediterranean diseases.
What started as an unlucky flat tire turned into a miracle for one lost puppy — and thanks to Gerova, Zaki now has a real chance to live the joyful, love-filled life he deserves.
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.
