It has been nearly three years since we rescued Dino from the roadside in Calabria, Southern Italy. I am happy to report that - thanks to a community of animal-lovers online - Dino is still doing brilliantly today. He is full of life, healthy and such a good boy!
We have just been back to Calabria, Southern Italy, near to the place where we found Dino, and we found another young shepherd mix, abandoned by the roadside. So sad! He was living alone in the cemetery, just outside the village, sleeping in an unused tomb for shelter. He was thin, ostracized and without hope. We were told by some locals that he had been there for about a month.
Like Dino, he was very nervous. We took him some food and when he saw us coming, he was so excited that his tail literally wagged his head! How could somebody dump such a sweet boy? We called him Vito.
After feeding him for a couple of weeks, we had to leave. Sadly, we couldn't take him with us. We asked around, but, as expected, we were unable to find anyone to take him in. Stray dogs are a huge problem in Southern Italy. Resources are extremely limited and any shelters that do exist are often poorly run or totally overwhelmed.
So, on our last day, we left him a big pile of food and wished him luck. It was hard to walk away from that sad little face, I can tell you!
But we couldn't give up!
If it was a challenge to rescue Dino while we were still in Calabria, I knew it was going to be very difficult to rescue Vito after we had left.
Our unlikely mission was this: Find somewhere for little Vito to stay, and then - harder still - find someone willing to go and find him, pick him up and take him there.
We spent two weeks emailing and chasing every possible lead we could find. It was tough, but I have fantastic news! Thanks to a network of incredible people we met online, I am thrilled to report that we finally managed to organize for Vito to be picked up. He played his part beautifully, staying safe in the cemetery and obediently coming out to meet his rescuers when they arrived.
In our search for a temporary holding place for Vito, I am also excited to report that we have discovered an amazing, one-of-a-kind dog shelter in Calabria, Southern Italy, called Rifugio Fata. It is run by a woman called Francesca who has dedicated herself to making a difference to the lives of stray dogs in the South. What an oasis!
At any one time, Rifugio Fata is home to around 150 dogs. Unlike other shelters that receive government money and often short-change the dogs, leaving them in crowded cages, neglected and suffering, Rifugio Fata is part of a dynamic, loving, non-profit organization. The dogs are well looked after, cuddled regularly and given space to run freely. Francesca helms adoption programs, she treats sick dogs, rehabs traumatised dogs and promotes initiatives to educate the public about our four-legged friends.
As you would expect, Rifugio Fata's walls are full to bursting and their resources are stretched thin. But, amazingly, Francesca has agreed to give Vito a temporary home. Not only that, she has offered to provide low cost microchipping, neutering and vaccinations for him. When we asked what she would charge for his bed and board, we braced ourselves. "Nothing," she said. "You can make a donation if you like."
So that's the story so far!
Vito is staying temporarily at Rifugio Fata, being looked after by Francesca and her team of dedicated helpers. And he is patiently waiting for our next move!
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