Dog Owner Life in Varna
Varna might not be a perfect city for dogs and their humans — think Prague or Tel-Aviv — but it’s a relatively friendly one.
Shops
You can find more or less everything you and your dog might need in numerous shops all over the city. From quite big ones to tiny, they provide sufficient stock of products. Should you need anything they haven’t got in stock, it’s often possible to place an order and collect your purchase later.
Vet
There’re several veterinary clinics in Varna. You might want to do a little research in order to find the one that suits you perfectly. Pay attention to the location: it’s way nicer to just walk to the vet then to commute, especially taking into account that dogs are not allowed in public transport. Also, you might feel that your Bulgarian is not that good yet. In that case, you should ask whether the staff speaks English (or Russian).
Walking areas
The best place to walk is a famous Sea Garden. It’s huge, and the walk might be as long as you wish. You should know, however, that you are not allowed to let your dog off the leash in the park. However, you might find an escape in a big dog park located closer to the Dolphinarium. Unfortunately, you may not walk your dog on the beaches anymore. Dog parks in the city are not very common, but you will find one near the medical university.
Look for the big dog park in the Sea Garden, closer to Boris the 1st boulevard, between Ku De Ta bar and Dolphinarium.
Look for the small dog park on the corner of Tsar Assen the 1st and Ivan Aksakov streets, opposite the Medical University.
Other dogs
In general, dogs are well behaved even though not trained. You might want to pay attention to smaller dogs, they are usually not that nice. However, overall people and dogs are quite friendly.
Miscellaneous
As a rule, dogs living in Varna should be registered with the municipality. You have also to pay a tax for having a dog, but not if it’s sterilized.
A lot of dogs wear a medallion indicating the date of the last vaccination. It’s not obligatory, but you might feel that you’d better put in on the dog’s collar or somewhere else. Besides, it’s a reminder for the owner to renew the vaccination regularly.
Apart from a few exceptions, dogs are not allowed in the cafés and restaurants. Sometimes the staff might let you in, but should somebody complain, they’ll ask you out. However, nobody minds if you sit with your dog on verandas or at the tables on the street, and in high season there are plenty of them. Some might even offer the dog some water.
Mapache Café and Bakery (dogs allowed) www.facebook.com/mapachebakery
The Black Sheep Beer House (dogs allowed on the veranda) www.facebook.com/The-Black-Sheep-Beer-House
