Donate to Ilios, a stray dog from Crete who got a 2nd chance

My friend Janne was on a writing trip to Crete when she met a 5 month old pup on the beach, who she later found out had been dumped there 2 months prior. His name was Tzatziki and he is at least part Shar Pei. As Janne observed him, she witnessed him being attacked by another dog and then children throwing rocks at him. She decided she was going to make it her mission to save this dog. She ended up putting aside her writing to take Tzatziki to multiple vet appointments to be vaccinated against Rabies and microchipped among other things.

She also connected with a group of women from Germany visiting for a yoga retreat that were also invested and actively trying to find him a home. Together they teamed up and combined resources to try rescue him and get him off the streets for good.

As much as Janne wanted to bring Tzatziki home with her, her current dog wouldn’t tolerate another dog in her home so that wasn’t an option. Over the course of 10 days, Janne and the other women worked tirelessly to secure a home for him. All of the potential options were abroad, and were logistically a bit complex, but she was willing to do whatever it would take to make something work.

Over the course of 10 days, Janne was able to get to know Tzatziki pretty well. He followed her around town, returned to her even as he wanted to chase after a local group of dogs, and learned to swim in the ocean by her side. She was able to see him interact with kids and dogs alike, always with a very friendly demeanor. On one of her final days in Crete, Janne was at a cafe with Tzatziki when she noticed a woman watching her and the dog. She decided to approach her. Her name was Laura and she was from Germany. She was interested in bringing the dog home with her. Together they purchased a dog crate, made travel arrangements for him to get to Berlin, and renamed him, Ilios.

Fast forward a couple of weeks and Ilios has arrived in Hamsburg, Germany after a very smooth transport. He was so relieved to be at home with Laura, and has been sleeping a lot, surely relieved to have a safe space.

As is apparently common in Shar Pei’s, Tzatziki’s eye lashes have inverted and he requires a surgery to fix it. He also needs to be neutered. I’ve created this GoFundMe to reimburse Janne and Laura for all of the expenses they have incurred while saving Ilios’ life. Thank goodness for women like them who step up, regardless of the challenges, and make a difference in the lives of deserving animals.