Taking cats to Bulgaria

I can only answer the second part of your message, since I adopted my two cats here.

Vets are abundant (I have two within a 3 minute walking distance) and compared to what I was used to paying in New York, INCREDIBLY inexpensive.

I am in the Varna area, so it may depend upon where you are. As an example, had a tooth extracted for one my boys. My vet brought in another vet who specializes in dentistry, they worked on him for about an hour, gave me enough medication for a week and had two follow-up visits, all for 50 leva (less than £21). This same procedure in NY, would have cost well over $300, with no difference in care or the end result.

Both vets also make house calls, which can be a real blessing and the cost is minimal - maybe 5 or 10 leva, but there were times they did not even charge for the visit - only for medication or treatment.

The vets are good, but don't expect anything too high-tech.

As you may already know, there are so many, many stray cats and dogs on the streets. For the most part, they are incredibly friendly toward us humans, but I do not know how they would react toward other cats. My two fellows are strictly house cats. Too many dogs, ferals and diseases to worry about out there. The only unusual animal I've seen in my area are jackals and I certainly would not want kitty to tangle with one. I've heard in other areas there are scorpions (never saw any here) and the only other real nuisance are the flies and in some areas mosquitoes. The flies are small, nasty and bite hard. I'd rather deal with the mosquitoes, frankly. The best solution for the summer influx of flies is to spray.

So that's my input for now. Hope it helps a bit.

Honestly its really easy to bring your pet to BG. So easy in fact I don't know why all the internet sites make a big deal about it... I brought my puppy to Varna via Sofia where I flew in from. All that is needed is to have all shots done before you get here 72 hours before and a microchip... Here is the odd part. After all the money I spent at vets getting her shot and microchipped, the Customs in Sofia didnt even really look at her or her paperwork. Said "Cute Puppy" checked my passport and I was on my way...

LOL gotta love it...

I certainly agree with you Willy. When I first arrived, I said I could have brought an elephant through Varna airport, said it was a butterfly and there would be none to question or complain.

UK has very tough laws regarding bringing pets into UK, so it's understandable for the Brits to have a lot of questions.

Inquired about bringing my cats back to the US and was told all I need is the rabies vaccine and a clean bill of health. The vet here was astounded, thinking the US would have tougher laws.

Hi

Thank you both for your replies. Great to hear about the cheap vet bills! Slightly concerned about the jackals. I wonder if you can get collars for cats to help with the mosquitoes? I know you can get them for dogs I've seen dogs in Spain wearing a white rubber collar together with thier normal collar to protect them if they get bitten.

Sorry, should have been more specific - the cats don't need protection from the flies and mosquitoes, us humans do! If your cats will be going outside, flea and tick collars should take care of most common problems.

My fellows make short shrift of any flying or crawling insect and the best fly-catchers I have. Would suggest a wormer at least twice during the summer months, since eating flies is one way for animals to contract worms.

I have a feeling moving vehicles will be more of a problem than the jackals and as stated before, it all depends where you will be living.

LMB wrote:

I have a feeling moving vehicles will be more of a problem than the jackals and as stated before, it all depends where you will be living.

I noticed people drive crazy here...

The only thing that upsets me about Bulgarian driving is the tailgating, but this seems to be common in other parts of Europe as well. I come from NY and drove in Manhattan at rush hour, so nothing scares me - except tailgating - and for that I could easily snap on the offender.

I'm up in Vinitsa and the main road seems to be a racing paradise. Used to race in my younger days, so I enjoy speed and admit, I still get a bit of a rush when I hear squealing tires.

Where in Varna are you, Willyp; and stateside home?

I am from the upper east side of NYC. I am now living in Varna. Near the beach. I use to race as well. I did a lot of underground street raccing back in the day, Hell I am still young, maybe I'll do it again...

Amazing! Two New Yorkers who used to race - one young, one not so young anymore. I did powder puff derbies in Pennsylvania, but also owned a '69 Firebird convertible (was new), 350, Hurst 4-speed and outran a few state troopers when I was younger. We did a great deal of street racing back then. Also owned a 305 Honda CB77 Superhawk, bored and stroked to a 350 so I could ride with the "big" guys. Darn bike was as heavy as any 650 today!

Originally I'm from Long Beach, NY and Varna is similar in many ways. I'm a beach person by nature and have Druzhba nearby.

Still have friends in the East 70's. Small world indeed.

LOl how old are you now???

Willyp wrote:

LOl how old are you now???

A very proud 56 going on 19.
Avatar photo was taken last year, so I'm not complaining!

Hi, posting first time here, we have 5 cats and one dog. If Bulgaria is an EEC country then does it not come under the pet passport scheme which requires a passport similar to humans, a microchip and appropriate shots?

If your coming overland say from UK by vehicle the trip is over 72 hours so how does the time limit of 72 hours fit in with shots from say a vet in UK?  Thanks.  Good Web Site.

@ jagd1

Just flew stateside from Bulgaria with one of my cats, boarding the other in Klimentovo, and for exiting Bulgaria, had to have passport, rabies shot, microchip and certification from the Municipal Veterinary Clinic.

However, from boarding in Varna to picking up the cat in New York, not a single person looked at the Passport or certification even when offered for examination.

Cats are easy, dogs are more tightly regulated. The rabies shot must be given at least 20 days prior to departure, although if you search online it says 10 days.

It's all very confusing, to say the least.

Here is detailed info on what is needed for importing dog/cat to Bulgaria: http://www.bulgarianembassy.org.uk/cons … lgaria.htm

Also you can see phone numbers for contact. As LMB noted, it is quite easy and if you are by car, most likely no one would even take a look at your cats or their docs, let alone make any issues.

Wishing you easy move, and think about flying by airplane rather than driving over 2 days from the UK to BG.

Having animals exported by air or professionally driven by a specilaised animal transport company (there are several in UK that do this) is incredibly expensive.  Add to that the cost of animal passports, chips and shots as well.  We have 5 cats and a dog.

Besides that transporting them by unfamiliar people and in unfamilar circumstances we think would be very stressful.  We thought of having the cats taken by air and driving the dog ourselves but that still is very expensive and the limitations are the same.

I do not mind the drive and we are probably looking at 3 maybe at a stretch 4 days as we live way up on the West Coast of Scotland.  So even organising seperate transport for the animals is a real hassle getting them to and from ports or airports where you can get animal transport services anyway.

I don't mind the drive (in fact I look forward to it, you've got to have a few adventures in life) and I've driven this wagon load of meowming, snarling, hissing and spitting cats all round Britain.  I just cover up  their carriers/cages and turn the stereo up!  The wife deals with the rest.  I drive she acts as keeper, that's the deal and the only way to stay sane!

jagd1 have a safe trip and relocation to Bulgaria. Just consider that if you are about to drive over the winter, pick the road carefully, as if you come through the mountains it might be quite of a nightmare... Where about are you relocating to?

You think the mountains are a problem?  We've had two sensible twenty somethings (brother & sister) avoiding a deer off and into the Loch upsidedown and drowned about three miles from us.

Two tourists the same did the same about three miles the other way, another with a a crushed hand avoiding sheep, four scollope fishermen dead 100 odd yards off the beach, one scollope diver a couple of monthe later, a three year old run down ON SHORE by an idiot who mistook the land for the sea.

The fire brigade have had to people out of about four cars crashed into the cliff faces because of rock falls and the rivers of run off we've had in the inordinate amount of rain and a freind of my wifes who spent all night in a flooded ditch with a broken leg when her car flipped because the road got washed away.

There must be less than 750 of us within a ten mile radius of here, doing thy odds if we'll be lucky to last the winter.  In all seriousness the accident rates and the results of accidents (serious injury and death) round here for the population (West Coast) are alarming, getting to hospital usually involves a helicopter, if available.

Seriously we take your point and we are not rushing, we wish to tie off everything and I personally think a winter trip through Europe is asking for it, transit through the Alps and across Italy is bad enough, so I would prefere to look into the spring.

As for location we are still tossing up because there is an intention to rent first and after orientating ourselves we might re-rent again until we find the correct location.  Certainly 50 plus miles from the Black Sea Coast.

Based on that have you any suggestions. The one thing we are decided upon is that we are not going to stop listening.

jagd1 crossing the mountains over in the ex-Ugoslavia republics could be very nerve racking. Frozen roads, wind and snow... Sure I see you have some experience driving in such conditions ... just wanted to let you know...

As far as suggestions... I would rather try to stay close to a big city for healthcare reasons and entertainment - movies, opera, etc. Within 30-40 km of a big city would be very good location. Robbery is quiet common here, so watch out the neighborhood and whereabouts you are. Consider house, as well as household insurance, vehicle insurance is a must, especially theft. I like the see, but it is much more pricy than the SW of the country, which is much cleaner and sunnier, warmer, less commercialized. Most of Bulgaria does have very hot summers, so even if you are in the mountain, you would still have excellent summer of at least 4 months. If you prefer to be just an hour drive from the see, I understand.

Renting at the beginning is an excellent idea. Get familiar with things for 6 months or so and see how you feel everything. Again, do not close your door to go back to the UK, just in case. You never know it might turn out. Some times expectations could be quite different from what one would experience as an expat in Bulgaria.

I was told that the route through Yugoslavia was not particularly good anyway for other reasons apart from the terrain and the weather.  A complete no-no through Serbia especially for Brits.

So the route would be down through S.Germany, across the Alps into Italy and then Bari or Brindisi to Greece, through Greece and cross the Greek and Bulgarian border.  Long way round but safer.

You speak of robbery, just so I get this right, if you hit someone over the head in the street and take their wallet then in Britain that is Robbery.  If you kick down the door of a house when people are out get in and steal their property that is Britain is Burglary.

Which do you mean or is it both?  It can make quite a difference as some quiet nice areas where you have a lot of good houses can have quiet streets and a hell of a Burglary problem.  In other areas poor houses can have no Burglary problem but you can stand in great danger of getting mugged or robbed in the street.

Usually an area with a high drug problem or I'm sorry to say travellers or gypsies can have great crime problems especially Burglary.  Beleieve me I know I've been there in some of our bigger cities.  In many areas the criminals rely on cars to get to and from their crimes and drug dealers in transporting drugs by car.  Turkey has a serious problem which supplies many drug dealers in Britain and Europe.

I stated at least 50 miles from the coast because the closer you get the more expensive I believe it is.  I will have a good look at SW Bulgaria as you suggest.  The idea was to remain up to 50Km from the big towns near a big village if possible.  Both of us love the heat, I used to spend whole summers in Malta where the temperature was 30c and more during the summer months and again we prefere cold winters.

It's funny that I've always got on well with people in their own country and I have great respect for local people particularly the ordinary person struggling to get along.  I don't know what it is with the Brits, many seem to behave like absaloute hooligans abroad treating all people around them as 3rd rate, others seem to beleive we still have an Empire.

What we've got to learn it seems is how third rate we have become trailing round after America holding and their hand like some little chimpanzee being taken for a walk.

jagd1 I am sure you will fit in just perfect in Bulgaria... I do agree that some western expats in general have shown somewhat hooligan behavior in east EU countries. Not sure why, but it goes the same for east EU citizens as expats in the western world. It is up to the person how to behave and it actually has nothing to do with origin, nationality, etc.

I meant both, robbery and burglary, but especially burglary. Sure if you are in an upscale neighborhood, the chances of getting mugged or burglarized are much lower. Just like everywhere else in the world. You best friend would be your neighbors. They will watch out for you and your property. Just make them your friends. You will get 30C+ anywhere in Bulgaria. In the SW it would much warmer than in the NW or NE. And yes, the closer you are to the Black Sea, the more expensive it is. However, having said that, there will be areas with small villages where prices are very good.

It sounds like you picked a good road, just you never know when the Greeks will decide to strike again and close their borders again, just like this past summer. Check out coming over through Romania!?

I'm getting more and more to like the French, Italians and the Greeks at least they are all objecting and demonstrating about having their pensions stolen and their taxes raised so bankers, mainly US bankers can have their fat salaries and bonuses.

The British tend to be like old dogs lying on a nail in the back yard.  They howl and moan about lying on the nail and how it hurts but won't get their fat rear ends up to do anything to stop the pain.

Then they turn round to the people they elected to find that lot stealing not only from their wallets and taxes but the sweets from their kids.  If it was any other country the politicians heads would be on stuck on pikes round Westminster where they belong.  Lets not forget what happened in Romainia and on TV too.

Lol... you just described the Brits, but I would say in the way you did it, fits perfectly for the Bulgarians as well. Just the same, moan and groan about everything and still won't do a bit to get together and change something. Same here when it comes to politics - lies, stealing from politics and high government officials, taxes go up (sure tax in BG is quite low if you only make higher than average for the country), prices go up... etc., but still Bulgarians will not get to strike or protest on the streets. Just like sheeps, as they portray themselves usually, they will keep heads down and walk the narrow path of self petty and allow this to happen to them.

I don't think people understand just how brow beaten and correct the Brits really are and how easy it would have been to change much in the past.  The government backed off rapidly in the 80's over the Poll Tax due to riots and civil disobediance.

I suspect the Bulgarian experience is due to communism and the way that treated the idividual.  However you can see in the rest of the Balkans, the Old Yugoslavia, Romainia and north to the Caucauses what happens when people take governments on whether through the ballot box or the gun.

The problem here is those at the top are not properly challenged and now have got into bed with the banks so much so that the banks run them as well.  They will come to regret it but reckon they can ride along on the coat tails of Wall Street and the City for a while...........but time for them is growing short.

WorldExpat I've just noticed that you are American and I've have made comments re America.  I just want to set the record straight.  I've got no problem with Americans who tend to be hard working to the extreme.  They place great value on family but sometimes are far too taken in by their media and crap politicians who seem to assume some right of leadership...as do ours.

Having got America to arm and fight for us and on our behalf in two world wars and because of that losing an Empire as we then bankrupted ourselves we seem somewhat surprised when the US supplanted us in the world as number 1 state.  We then actually believe we won the war.....no just a series of battles, we lost the war, an Empire and we still do not know our place in the world any longer.

The simple fact is that had not the US come to our aid and that of Russia in WWII or had people like J.F.K's father and Prescott Bush got their way and sided with the Nazi's I would probably be conversing with you in German now.

Unfortunately or is that fortunately I find myself having lived through one quarter of your Republics (now Empires) life and because of the averice of the rich and the desperation of the poor I suspect I will see the end of it as well.

The rise of our old possession, India and the childeren of Cathy(China), Brasil and other similar states will put paid to the American dream and I suspect that the US will fall to pieces from the inside out.

Tonight most of the films and much of the TV was of US origin, the adverts crowded out with US products and corporations, the news of how we are fighting a "War on Terror" that seems to have been created in the US by the US and we're just tagging along for the ride.  Sad when your ashamed of your own country and can no longer see it as home!

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