Help Get Albanian Street Dog To A Loving Safe Home!

Hi, my name is Ari and for the last four years, I have been living and running a massage and yoga studio in Sarande, Southern Albania.

We work closely with a project called Sarande Dog Services and Paws Vet Clinic to help vaccinate, neuter and help feed the street animal population here in the city. All the proceeds of our yoga classes are donated to this cause.

To give some background the dogs and cats of Albania get a bit of a rough ride here they are not loved and cared for like in many other countries and animal welfare is pretty much non-existent, apart from a few kind people who try to do their best for them, they don't get adopted or offered loving homes and in fact, many of them are in danger for their lives through mass killing or poisoning on the run-up to tourist season.

We have had a few happy cases where tourists will meet a dog while they are here and possibly adopt them but it is few and far between. I love this country and its people but in truth, this has been an incredibly heartbreaking element of living here, the way animals are treated and not respected as sentient beings and part of the community.

So, I want to tell you a little story about Belladonna Rose.

A year ago Belladonna was a young pup that was dumped at Saranda Dog Services, along with 3 other puppies. Saranda Dog Services cared for the puppies and reared them to health and well-being.

But

unfortunately, needing to move from their location meant all the puppies had to go back out onto the street, this was a heartbreaking event for all involved at Sarande Dog Services to send our furry friends back to live a life of foraging for scraps and averting the dangers of living on the street before we could find them happy loving homes.

Early this year in March, an incredibly sad event took place and a cruel person in the community took it upon themselves to go on a poisoning mission of our furry street community, leaving out sausages laced with poison for the dogs to eat.

Many of the dogs that we had neutered, vaccinated and cared for while they were living on the street fell victim to this cruel act and they lost their lives and we lost our friends.

A few of the dogs were found at death's door and some of our local vets managed to save their lives. Belladonna was one of them!

I got a phone call from a local person asking if I could take her for a few days to help her recover from her near-death experience. How could I say no to offering her safety and sanctuary to heal and feel safe, I couldn't.

Belladonna is a very gentle soul, who has a lot of trauma that I am helping her through, she is scared of cars and motorbikes, scared of most men. We are working together to help her feel safe and confident and understand what it is like to be cared for and loved. She is learning slowly but getting there and is turning out to be the sweetest of pooches, we certainly love each other.

At the beginning of the year, my father passed away and this now means that I must return to Scotland (my home country) to support my mother and spend time helping her. This means leaving my home and business in Albania for however long is needed.

I will not leave Belladonna to go back on the streets but travelling with a dog to the UK is not an easy or cheap process. A very kind friend has offered to pick us up and drive us to the UK. Which will take days across many countries but we are going to do it!

I'm asking anyone who may like to help get Belladonna to safety, even the smallest donation will help and will be greatly appreciated.

We will be documenting the entire journey as we go for anyone who wants updates on the process and wants to be part of it.

Half of the money raised will go towards Belladonna's journey to safety and the other half will go to all the street animals of Saranda to continue their vaccination and neutering project, through Paws Vet Clinic and Saranda Dog Services.

I want to take this time to thank anyone who donates no matter how big or how small the amount and anyone who reaches out with love and support of our mission.

We love you, woof woof paws up!

Ari & Belladonna Rose