Valia Orfanidou, video creator and founder of The Orphan Pet, visits and works with animal shelters in Greece now and then. She offers her services for free so she could help homeless dogs find their happy ending. And every time she visits Save a Greek Stray, she always checks the infirmary first and then greets the newcomers.
Dogs at the infirmary are in their most vulnerable state. And when she met Richard, she knew he’s in a fight for himself. The dog laid in his crate, but when Valia came closer, he stood up and greeted her. “Even at his lowest, he had the elegance of a gentleman,” Valia said.
Richard suffered from leishmaniasis. He received treatment and got better a few weeks later. But just as when everybody thought Richard was perfectly fine, the dog got sick again. He got better only to get worse.
The next time Valia saw Richard, the dog couldn’t even get himself up. His vitals were low, and lab tests revealed the dog is very ill. With tears in her eyes, Valia bid her final goodbyes because she believed she’d never see him again.
A couple of months later, Valia came back to the shelter. To her surprise, she discovered that Richard miraculously recovered. He made it out of the infirmary and into the yard of the sanctuary.
Richard got better and spent the next two and a half years at the shelter. No dogs belonged to a shelter, but like most shelter animals, Richard accepted his life like he initially accepted his death. He never fully recovered, but he looked healthier than ever.
Valia saw Richard’s will to live. And so, she promised to help him live a better life. She sought help from everybody she knew until Sophia and Franjo asked to adopt the dog.
It’s been several months since Richard joined his forever family. He was at home from the moment he first arrived. After all his struggles, Richard now lives a comfortable life.
Credits to The Orphan Pet