The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘I love them to bits, but I can’t take them in’
Fife woman who saved starving pups in Bulgaria is trying to find them homes in UK
A retired teacher from Fife saved the lives of two stray puppies while holidaying in Bulgaria – and is now desperately trying to find them a loving home.
Anne Marie Grant, of Methil, was touring the Balkan country in September and October when she came across young pooches Rosie and Lisl, both of whom were malnourished and dehydrated.
The 67-year-old nursed them back to health in her rented apartment in Ruse and attempted to find a dog shelter for them in the country, only to discover they were all jam-packed.
She tried to track down British expats in Bulgaria who might want to take them in, but all the people she contacted already had too many rescue dogs.
Rosie was saved after Mrs Grant’s taxi driver attempted to run her down on a trip, while Lisl was found on her last legs at a roadside.
Mrs Grant has been forced to place the pair in private kennels in Bulgaria, at a cost of £70 per week, and has paid for vaccinations and pet passports so they can begin a new life in the UK.
However, due to the nature of her tenancy and the fact she already owns a dog, she is unable to take in another two animals and is desperately seeking homes for Lisl and Rosie.
Mrs Grant, a grandmother of four, admitted the cost of paying for the dogs’ stay in Bulgaria and their new start in the UK is beginning to take a toll on her finances.
They are due to arrive in the UK in three or four weeks.
Mrs Grant said all she wanted was to find a “nice home for them”.
She said: “These dogs are a few months old, I don’t think I can keep up with them anyway. They are quite energetic and lively.
“I think they would make great pets. I love them to bits. I want to leave them having given them a better life than they got. I would just like to know they are happy and healthy.”