Takis Proestakis, a former Greek businessman from the city of Ierapetra in Crete, refused a comfortable life in order to devote himself to caring for abandoned dogs and cats. Former owner of a popular nightclub in the city created and maintains a shelter for homeless animals, thanks to donations from around the world.

Takis told Greek reporters how it all began. Six years ago, he passed a garbage dump outside the city and saw a dog … “It was with broken legs and a bone sticking out of its leg… I was terrified. I came back every day to help it recover. Another dog joined it, then a third. Then about a dozen gathered near this dump. Many were desperate for help, and I was really touched by their plight. I fed them and tried to treat their injuries on the spot; and I can not describe the unconditional love that they showed to me. It changed the whole perspective of my life… “.

The locals, however, were unhappy, and Takis had to buy a piece of land nearby to transport all the animals there. The shelter has only grown over the years. Now there live 342 dogs, forty cats and two goats. Animals do not sit in cages, but play with each other in an open area, they are in daily contact with the owner and guests. Proestakis says it would be impossible to save the animals without the generous donations he received from around the world. “Hundreds of people come to the shelter in the summer. Many Europeans, in particular from Finland and Germany, come to adopt dogs and cats … I need to meet with potential owners face to face before I bring the animals for adoption. I want to make sure they find a loving home, ”says Proestakis.

Someone thinks certainly that abandoned dogs are more than people like Takis, and his efforts are similar to Sisyphean labor, but the shelter owner is sure that laws are changing; attitudes towards homeless animals are changing, especially among young people, so his efforts are not fruitless. Especially if you see alongside with yourself more than three hundred dog faces, on which “unconditional love” is obvious.

Every small donation is vital for the operation of Proestakis’ shelter. You can help by donating here:

PayPal.me/Takisshelter. PayPal takisshelter33@gmail.com

Bank account
Name : stegi prostasias adespoton zoon
IBAN : GR43 0140 6620 6620 0233 0001 066
Bank name : ALPHA BANK
BIC : CRBAGRAA