Takis Proestakis may have experienced some financial losses in recent years, but he has also found a lot of satisfaction and happiness in his life. He has offered protection and comfort to hundreds of dogs that he has saved from neglect and homelessness on the streets of Crete, a Greek island, where he invites them and cares for them.
When Greece faced the economic crisis, many families had to give up their pets. However, instead of finding them new homes or taking them to shelters, many people chose to simply abandon their pets. Some of them left them at garbage sites or just on the roads.
Someone Had to Do Something
One day, Takis went to a garbage site to throw away his trash and he was shocked to see dozens of dogs that looked hungry. Many of them also had terrible injuries on their bodies. It was a sorrowful view to behold, as you would imagine. He said that every day, he would see more dogs at the garbage site. People just discarded them because they couldn’t afford to feed them or because the dogs were ill.
He began to take each dog home, as Takis wanted to do something about it. He took them one by one and, soon enough, his house felt so crowded that he decided to buy a piece of land. The land was located in an olive grove and it became Taki’s Shelter.
This new land was not only a home for dogs, but also for Taki himself. He bought a shipping container and turned it into a space not just for him, but also for the more vulnerable dogs that needed a place to heal and adjust before joining the rest of their furry friends.
How Taki Dedicated His Life to His Dog Shelter
Taki was so committed to his shelter that he gave up everything he had for this cause, including his nightclub. This meant that Taki had very little left for himself, and he started to struggle with paying the bills.
The shelter was at risk of closing because his financial situation was so bad. But fate had other plans for him! Around that time, a journalist wrote a story about Taki’s work for stray dogs and all he had given up for them.
Donations from worldwide sources poured in as his story reached many people. Taki’s Shelter has been running ever since, thanks to the generosity of people who want to help Taki and his mission.
His daily routine at the shelter is not very different from when he used to run his nightclub. He works around the shelter from 8 o-clock and he sleeps when the dogs do, which is between 2 and 6 in the afternoon. At 6 pm, it’s time to feed the dogs, which is when the fun begins.
If you own a dog or you’ve spent time with them, you know how much they enjoy their food. They get excited when it’s time to eat and they love to play with the energy they get from a good meal. Taki joins them in their play, checks on everyone and has a good day.
The dogs settle down as the sun comes up. So, they are not very different from the people who used to visit Taki’s nightclub. They have fun all night and then they rest!
Helping Dogs Find New Homes
The dogs are ready for adoption when they have fully recovered and their health is cleared. This is the most rewarding part because they can find their permanent families! Taki is happy to see them go to loving homes, even though he and the other shelter dogs will miss them. They are always welcome to come back and visit!
Taki loves his shelter dogs very much and they have a good life with him, but he knows that nothing can replace having a home. A home of their own is what every dog deserves, after all.
Taki feels very fulfilled by his work. He rescues dogs that are in terrible conditions, some of them near death, and helps them heal and grow stronger. He sees them transform into happy, playful and loving dogs. Then he finds them good homes where they can be happy forever.
Taki thinks he has saved about 500 dogs and he says he will not stop anytime soon.His purpose in life is to help dogs.
Please share this to spread awareness about Taki's mission and show appreciation for this amazing man, and others like him, who devote their lives to saving all the good boys out there.