What we do

The 1500 Dog Gang is a non-profit organization established in 2018 by a group of volunteers who recognized that the solution to the problems of stray animals lies in changing society's attitude and perception towards them.
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The organization's initial focus was to create a volunteer structure in Sofia's municipal shelters. Through active work on the field, public outreach, and sharing best practices. This structure aimed to initiate dialogue with the Sofia Municipality and attract citizens to walk, socialize, and rehome stray dogs in both shelters.
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Subsequently, our activities expanded into three main areas: civic education, informed society, and modern shelters.

What We Do

Групода снимка на доброволците от Бандата на 1500-те.

We organize regular weekend walks at the municipal shelters in Sofia.

We create a network of foster homes that prepare dogs for adoption.

We coordinate medical examinations and transport for adopted animals.

We develop information campaigns to raise awareness about the key issues concerning stray animals.

We develop educational projects for children, students, and young people to raise awareness about animal welfare.

What We Have Achieved So Far

Over the years, we have succeeded in transforming municipal shelters from closed-off places forgotten by citizens into familiar and visited spaces, and in attracting many new volunteers to our walks. Although small, this is an important first step towards greater awareness and the emergence of empathy. The more people who see the problem confined behind bars outside the city, the more people will help solve it.

We made a lasting change in the lives of many animals

We transformed the shelters into visited spaces, giving over 1800 dogs the chance to get out of their kennels, even if just for a short while. We organized over 700 walks supporting the socialization and subsequent adoption of dogs.

We created stable volunteer structures

Every year since our organization's founding, we have managed to attract over 2000 volunteers to our walks in Seslavtsi and Gorni Bogrov. We haven't missed a single weekend since our inception.

We contributed to greater public awareness regarding stray animals

We managed to reach thousands of citizens through numerous initiatives, projects, and events that we organize independently or participate in as partners, such as our regular charity bazaars and exhibitions, the Rivers of Sofia, 100 Chairs, The Park, DogFest festivals, and many others.

The Story of the 1500

2011

First Steps

It all started with a small group of friends sharing a common motivation to socialize and rehome stray animals. Walks began at the municipal shelter in Seslavtsi, which was in a deplorable state at the time.

2016

Community Building

The Seslavtsi shelter closed for renovations. Staff changes at the Municipal Enterprise "Ekoravnovesie" marked the beginning of our visits to the largest shelter in the Balkans. We started building a volunteer structure and engaged citizens in our Sunday walks.

2018

Association Registration

We registered as a non-profit association to collaborate better and more effectively with the municipality and our partner organizations. And since we cared for over 1500 dogs at the shelter, it was logical to call ourselves "The 1500 Dog Gang."

2020

Challenges

Like everyone else, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted us. It slowed down our activities, and we had to reorganize walks at both shelters during lockdowns. Despite this, the number of adoptions during this period grew immensely, creating a lot of (but pleasant) work for us.

2022

Strategy Change

We began developing a long-term strategy to change public attitudes towards stray animals. We defined three main pillars for our organization: civic education, information campaigns, and modern shelters. These also determine our goals for 2023.