Exposed: The cruel dog-spinning ritual to 'ward off rabies' that is STILL being practised Bulgaria

By Graham Smith


Bizarre tradition: An annual ritual that involves spinning dogs on a rope above a river in rural Bulgaria to ward off rabies was last weekend thwarted by animal rights activists six years after it was banned

Animal rights activists have managed to thwart a bizarre traditional that involves spinning dogs on a rope above a river in rural Bulgaria to ward off rabies.

For hundreds of years, locals in the remote town of Brodilovo in the south-east of the country have carried out the annual Spring ritual.

It involves twisting dogs a rope stretched out over a river until it is taut and then threading a dog through a noose at its end.

Cruel: The pagan tradition was banned by law in 2006, but still carried out. These photos are from last year

The local residents then let the animal go and it spins out of control until it tumbles into the water below.

The terrified dogs reach such high speeds that by the time they land in the river they are unable to swim.

But the pagan tradition - banned by law in 2006, but still carried out - was thwarted this year after animal rights activists mounted a campaign to expose the cruelty.

Members of Animal Rights Sofia guarded the banks of the Veleka River last weekend to make sure locals kept to the new guidelines.


The tradition involves twisting a piece or rope until it is as taut as can be and then threading a dog through a noose at its end....


... the local residents then let the animal go and it spins out of control until it tumbles into the water below...


... the terrified dogs reach such high speeds that by the time they land in the river some are unable to swim

Under these, the dogs are simply thrown into the water and can swim to safety on the other side.

A spokesman for the town's mayor Petko Arnaoudov said: 'It is not ideal, but it is better than it was.

'Some of these traditions have taken root over hundreds of years. You don't change them overnight.

'You cannot stop a traditional custom with a simple order.'




source:dailymail