Tania : Dream of a Safe Heaven Dog

My Project

Hello! I’m Tania and at the moment I’m volunteering in DASH, a non-governmental organisation and the largest dog rescue centre in Greece. It relies solely on donations and the help of volunteers.

Name DASH – Dream Of A Safe Haven Dog Address Epar.Od. Messinis-Kiparissias, 242 00 Messini, Greece Website https://www.dash-dogs.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dogsatdash/ E-mail julie_wilkinson69@hotmail.com

People I work with: Since 3 weeks ago, another ESC volunteer, Kamil from Poland. Also, the owner of the Dog Shelter, Katerina, and other volunteers both local and from other countries, such as Germany, England... Right now we are 12.

What my tasks are: My main task is to take care of the dogs in the area I am assigned to. Every day I feed the dogs, put water in the buckets after cleaning them, and pick up the poo, hair, bones, plastics, garbage and anything that could hurt the dogs if ingested, but also to keep the area clean and tidy. Twice a week, I clean the food bowls. I also make sure that all the dogs are well. Sometimes, I remove their excess hair, check if they have ticks and if they do give them medication. I also bathe them. And when it’s pest season, we spray them with insecticide. What I am learning from it: I was never able to own a dog, therefore, the amount of knowledge that I am getting in these months is enormous. I’m learning a lot about dogs’ behavior: their reactions, their moods, their body movements, their facial expressions... Sometimes I surprise myself being surrounded by about 100 dogs and feeling so calm. I’m also learning about the current reality of the dog abandonment situation. Hearing about it is not the same as seeing it. My awareness of this is much greater right now. I also reckon that I’m learning an important life lesson. By doing hard physical work as a volunteer, I believe this is and will change my perception of work and the way I approach my future and my life forever.

What I love about the project: Without a doubt one of the things I like the most is seeing the dogs happy. When people think of a dog shelter, they imagine dogs locked in a cage all day, unhappy and sad. But, here, they are on a field, free, they can run and play with the other dogs. I like being with them and observing and laughing at the pranks they make! I also like the satisfaction I feel when I have finished all my tasks and I see everything clean and tidy and they are relaxed because they have already eaten. I really like working in the

open air, surrounded by olive trees and nature.