The story of the Bulgarian dog Mina, which rescued its owner from a fire, yet at the cost of its own life, has made it into the headlines of German media. In the early hours of a Saturday in February, a fire broke out in the Bonn district of Holzlar. The house of Mina's 75-year-old owner was destroyed by the flames. The woman survived miraculously because she was woken by the barking of her dog Mina. Thanks to the dog, the elderly lady had enough time to leave her home. The dog, however, remained inside. Firefighters dissuaded the woman’s attempt to return and bring the dog out - it was too dangerous and too late.

Days after the tragic incident, local media drew attention to the story of the dog. The reporter of the regional daily newspaper General-Anzeiger, who made a report on the fire, told the Deutsche Welle that Mina was a Bulgarian dog adopted three years ago in Germany through the mediation of the Bonn Animal Protection Association. Officials from the German dog shelter specify that every month three dogs arrive from Bulgarian shelters and find their new owners in Germany.