Dog spinning

Dog spinning (тричане на куче(та), trichane na kuche(ta)) is a ritual formerly practiced in a village in southeastern Bulgaria.

In dog spinning, a dog is suspended above water on a rope. This rope is then 'wound' by being twisted repeatedly in a given direction (clockwise or anticlockwise), before being released so that the suspended dog rotates rapidly around in the opposite direction (respectively, anticlockwise or clockwise). The ancient ritual of pagan origin was done in order to prevent rabies.

The first known reference to this practice in English is in a press release issued by the UK Green Party, issued on July 29 2005.

It includes a statement from Green Party MEP Dr Caroline Lucas, vice-president of the RSPCA and the European Parliament's cross-party Animal Welfare Intergroup. Dr Lucas criticised it as being cruel to dogs, saying "Dog-spinning is a barbaric practice and must not be allowed to continue into the 21st century."

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reported the practice in March 2005. It used to place in March every year, only in the village of Brodilovo. The practice of the ritual was banned by the mayor of Tsarevo in 2006 after complaints by Bulgarian animal welfare organizations.