Takis Proestakis may not have as much money as he once did, but his life has never been better, and he has never been happier. The same can be said for the hundreds of dogs he has rescued from neglect and taken from the streets of Crete, a Greek island, to provide them with safe shelter and love.
Many families had to say goodbye to their pets when Greece was hit by the financial crisis. However, rather than finding them a new home or transferring their care to shelters, many people simply abandoned their pets. Some of them dumped them in landfills or on the streets.
Someone had to take action.
Takis was visiting a dump one day to dispose of his garbage when he discovered dozens of emaciated dogs. Furthermore, many of them had terrible injuries on their bodies. As you can imagine, it was a heartbreaking sight to witness. He claimed that he found more dogs at the dump every day. People simply threw them away because they couldn't afford to feed them or the dogs were sick.
Takis decided to do something about it, so he set out to bring each of those dogs home. He took them one by one until his house became so crowded that he decided to buy some land. Taki's Shelter was built on land in an olive grove.
This new land became Taki's home as well as a home for dogs. He purchased a shipping container and transformed it into a space not only for himself, but also for the more vulnerable dogs who needed time to adjust and heal before rejoining the rest of the four-legged friends.
Taki's Love for His Dog Shelter
Taki became so committed to his shelter that he decided to sell everything he owned in order to devote his full attention to it, including his nightclub. As you might expect, Taki was left with few resources for himself, and he began to struggle to pay his bills.
At one point, his financial situation became so dire that he considered closing the shelter. But destiny would reward him! Around the same time, a reporter wrote a feature story about Taki's work with abandoned dogs and everything he had given up in the process.
Soon after, word spread and donations began to pour in from all over the world. Taki's Shelter has been fully operational since then, thanks to the generosity of people all over the world who are willing to give a little of what they have to help Taki and his mission.
His current work schedule at the shelter is very similar to the hours he used to work at his nightclub. He begins working around the shelter at 8 a.m. and sleeps when the dogs sleep, which is between 2 and 6 p.m. When 6 p.m. arrives, it's time to feed the dogs, and the party begins.
If you have a dog or have been around one, you are aware of how much they enjoy their food. They go bananas when it's feeding time, and they love to play to burn off the extra energy from a good meal. Taki has fun with them, making sure everyone is safe and having a good time.
The dogs are at their most relaxed when the sun rises. So, in some ways, they're similar to the people who used to frequent Taki's nightclub. They party all night and then sleep all day!
Adoption and Rehabilitation
When the dogs have been fully rehabilitated and have received clean bills of health, they are ready for adoption. The best part is that they get to find their forever home! Though they will miss Taki and their other shelter pals, Taki is relieved that they have found loving homes. They are always welcome to return to the shelter!
Taki claims that his dogs in the shelter have a good life and that he adores them, but it doesn't replace the feeling of having a home. After all, a home is a home, and every dog requires one.
Finding those dogs in such a bad state, many of them on the verge of death, and helping them, seeing them get healthier and stronger to the point where they're running around, happy, playing, and giving so much love in return, is one of Taki's most rewarding experiences. Then, another amazing aspect of his job is finding them a good home.
Taki estimates that he has saved around 500 dogs and says he has no plans to slow down anytime soon. Taki is dedicated to saving as many dogs as he can. Running his shelter is more than just a job for him; it's his reason for staying alive, and it's given his life a lot of meaning.
To hear Taki and learn more about his life, play the video below. Be prepared to become emotional! Please share to help spread the word about Taki's mission and to express gratitude to this wonderful man and many others like him who devote their lives to saving all the good boys out there.