A Brit magician has launched a desperate appeal to raise funds to rescue a starving dog in Bulgaria, who was just days away from being shot by villagers.
Romany Romany, 52, was left heartbroken when she saw a picture of a decrepit dog who was “riddled with parasites” and looked like she had “not eaten in days”.
The pup, who is called Ruzha and is believed to be a five-year-old labrador and ridgeback cross, was rescued by Romany’s friend, Sandy Ellis in Dryanovo, Bulgaria in October last year.
Villagers had threatened to shoot the pooch as they believed she was “violent and dangerous” but Sandy acted quickly and brought her to her home.
The poorly pooch weighed just 22lbs and was suffering from heartworm and anaemia, which required expensive treatment and medication.
But Romany, who is based in the UK, stepped in and raised £1,200 in just nine days to pay for various medicines from the US while setting in motion plans to bring Ruzha to the UK for a “better life”.
Romany said she was willing to spend her own savings but the magician, who has performed for the likes of the Queen and Jonathan Ross, has been out of work for 12 months.
She’s now hoping to raise £2,000 in order to pay for the various costs to fly to Bulgaria and bring her “magical dog” back home.
Romany, from Bardsea, Cumbria, said: “The moment I saw Ruzha’s photo I knew she was my dog. She was going to bring magic into my life as I was going to bring magic into hers.
“The poor girl was starving when Sandy found her and the villagers wanted to shoot her because they thought she was dangerous.
“Thankfully Sandy caught her and gave her a chance despite knocking on death’s door.
“It would be fantastic to bring Ruzha home. I’ve been going on walks every day and I have already imagined her being with me and I can’t wait for her to be here.”
Romany quit her office job when she was 26 to pursue her dreams of being on stage, and has since had a successful career touring around the world.
Despite losing all of her work in the past year due to Covid, she said she is willing to do “whatever it takes” to get Ruzha to Cumbria.
She said: “I will pay for it and do whatever it takes.
“I lost all of my work this year due to Covid as I’m a magician and I work on cruise ships but I was willing to drive to Bulgaria.
“I love the story of a dog who was at the end of her life and had a change. The impossible became possible.
“I think magic is a big part of my life and this would be truly magical.”
She added: “She’ll soon be on the Cumbrian fells, after being on the brink of death.”
Ruzha is currently staying at Sandy’s home in Bulgaria where she is being taken care of until Romany is able to go and get her.
She’s fit and healthy after a “miraculous” recovery and now weighs more than twice what she did when she was rescued.