Happy Ending, the Bulgarian circus family finally go home together with their animals.

After the plight of the Valoskova family was aired on MBS’s new program VOICE on January 26th, many people responded with overwhelming generosity to ARK’s appeal for funds to repatriate all of them to Bulgaria. Within a week the fund had more than surpassed our target and was closed, but still people kept on sending money. 877 people in all sent money or goods and the fund eventually reached over 15 million yen.

At a farewell party for the family on Febuary 18th in Kawachi-Nagano, ARK announced these results and MBS aired this again on Febuary 2Oth. The Valoskova family have agreed, as have the people who donated money, that any remaining money beyond what is needed by the family, should be used to help animals in Bulgaria.

Since there are very few animal hospitals or veterinarians in Bulgaria, and there is also a huge number of street dogs and cats, we feel that the money could be put towards an animal hospital or a mobile clinic, mainly for spay/neutering. We will investigate the possibilities of this and also the needs of Bulgarian animals and will keep everyone updated on our home page.

Daniela, the daughter, left Japan on Febuary 20th with one dog. We have had a phone call from her saying she had arrived safely in Bulgaria. The cats and dogs left Kansai Airport on Febuary 22nd and Daniela’s mother Pepi and her father left for Bulgaria on Febuary 23rd. The whole family have now been reunited in Bulgaria.

We would like to thank all the wonderful people who gave so generously to this family and to Dr. Daimon who has cared for the cats and dogs during their stay in Kawachi-Nagano, giving them all the necessary shots, micro-chipping them and filling in the endless paperwork. And last but not least our thanks to MBS whose moving documentary about this family touched the hearts of many Japanese people.