Dogs are man’s best friend, but sometimes, some people don’t treat them as such.

On the island of Crete, Takis Proestakis received a phone call that needed his urgent assistance. A man who went up the mountain to pick some mushrooms came across a rather heartbreaking sight.

Takis Proestakis runs the Takis Shelter. It is located in the southern part of Crete in Ierapetra, Greece, sheltering the stray cats and dogs of the island. He manages a 33,000 square meter lot where over 400 cats and dogs run and play around.

His non-profit organization has found forever homes for over 600 animals since 2014 and their work hasn’t stopped since.

Proestakis shared with the animal content website The Dodo that the man asked him to drive up the mountain to check on a German shepherd:

“He saw a dog locked in a chain. He called me and he say to me, ‘Takis there is one dog there in a very bad condition, very skinny, and he’s alone in the middle of nowhere in the mountains.’”

Just by the description of the dog’s situation, Takis knew he had to get where the dog is.

He and his team drove up to the mountain where they found, on the roadside, the dog that the mushroom-picker described.

While he was aware of the situation of the dog, as relayed by the man, it was far worse when he saw it personally. The dog was lying on the dirt, with a leash just enough to let him walk a couple of steps away from the tree.

His skin clung to his bones as if he wasn’t fed properly for a very long time.

When they checked the dilapidated tub right beside him, they saw dried-up dog food enough for him to survive the next couple of days – or at least, until someone else came across him.

The abandoned dog doesn’t even have a bowl of water even if he’s sitting alone under the sweltering sun.

But one thing struck Proestakis the most. Despite the poor conditions the dog was living in, his tail was still wagging in excited anticipation as he jumped towards Proestakis hands. The situation might be dire, but the dog seems to welcome his newly found friends and warms up to them pretty quickly.

Proestakis shared to The Dodo:

“He was so poor but he was so happy to see us. In his way, he is asking for help.”

Without any clue as to who owns the dogs or whoever left him here, Proestakis admitted that he felt really angry.

It was hard to believe that a dog as sweet and gentle as this one was abandoned with a measly amount of food and in the middle of nowhere.

They gave the dog a cup of water, which he drank excitedly, then they unlocked the chain so they could walk him to their car.

Upon arriving at the shelter, Proestakis was worried that the abandoned German shepherd might turn aggressive towards other dogs.

In his experience, when dogs are chained up for a long time, they tend to be more hostile than usual.

But the new member of their family proved that he has so much love to give. He quickly made friends with the other dogs and caused no trouble. As Proestakis explained, he was such a “gentleman”.

As days pass, the dog’s health quickly improved. He gained weight and has been eating well since he got into the shelter. And all the while, he would always greet Proetakis with big kisses and puppy eyes that beg for tummy rubs.

With the dog’s positive disposition and loving attitude, Proetakis is hopeful that the German shepherd will find a forever home.

He shared his happiness with The Dodo:

“We are the best friends now. We love each other.”

Watch the video below!

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Source: Takis Shelter via YouTube, Takis Shelter via YouTube, The Dodo via Facebook, Takis Shelter