Read about Spiros below. First, a quick summary…
Parco Canile Valbasca / ENPA Como, with its entrance from Via Cimitero in Lipomo, is the shelter we had the privilege of visiting. The current Valbasca facility has been operating since 2009 and takes in abandoned dogs from more than 80 municipalities throughout the Province of Como and beyond. It can care for around 100 dogs, providing sheltered sleeping areas, outdoor spaces, exercise areas, veterinary care and sterilization while working to find each dog a permanent family. What impressed us was that their mission goes beyond simply housing dogs—they also work to educate the community about understanding, respecting and properly caring for animals.
This is Fruitycake.
Many times, persons get caught up in a cause. I know this because I was, and I am, part of the cause of animal rescue. I’m so happy that persons decide to help us, because if it weren’t for good people, I wouldn’t be here today.
I may have been one of 600 dogs at a shelter, and I’m happy I was adopted. But many of my friends were not. And they were just as fun, kind and caring, and each had their own personality. Just like me.
Animal rescue is a good cause to help. But I’ll be glad when one day there won’t be a need for it at all. I’ll be glad when persons see past a dog in a shelter and actually see who we are. Maybe if we all start with that, it will begin to undo the mess persons got us into in the first place.
We are in this Italy place now, and we went to a shelter here to learn. What I want to do today is talk about my friend Spiros.
Spiros has been at this shelter for six years. And he will be there until someone adopts him. Or he will stay there always. I hope he doesn’t. I hope he finds a home like his friend Denver.
Denver was with Spiros there for five years. And last week, Denver was adopted. And now? We are so happy for Denver. But Spiros is sad. Very sad. And he is giving up. And we can’t let that happen.
I know you may think that there is nothing you can do for Spiros in this Italy place to help him. You’re wrong, my friend.
Spiros needs you to see him. To know him. Look at him. Do you see him? Look again.
He’s loving, caring and a wonderful best friend to Denver. He made a difference in Denver’s life by making him happy. Making him happy may have even made him more likely to be adopted. Do you see the effect we have on each other?
Do you see Spiros? Can you see his personality? Shy, cautious, but with a huge heart. Beautiful, sweet and suspicious. He is genuinely unique.
He is Spiros.
Spiros is like all dogs. He is an individual. Take notice of him and let him know you care. Say it out loud, in a prayer or in a post. Share this story, told by me, another dog.
Just see him.
See Spiros.
I know Spiros is sad now. But I think that can change. I think someone will see him and take him home. I think that maybe…just maybe…we were meant to show him to you and tell his story. That really, the meaning of this whole rescue visit could have been as simple as seeing him. Maybe we moved to Italy to SEE him. Yes. He’s that important. So is every dog! So is everyone!!!
I may sound dramatic, but my name is Fruitycake.
I know animal rescue is overwhelming. It’s hard to feel. It’s hard to look into another soul’s eyes. But it’s important that we do. So that it’s not just about the cause of animal rescue. So it’s about each of us deserving to live our best lives.
Spiros? We see you, buddy.
We may all be in different countries, but we all breathe the same way, see with our eyes and feel with our hearts.
We love you.
Fruitycake
We need your support more than ever right now to continue this work—not only to Make Rescues The Breed Of Choice!, but to tell more stories like Spiros’ and use the platforms we have spent years building to help change the reasons animal rescue is needed in the first place. Our work is not sponsored, We need help to continue bringing you the rescue content and stories we gathered here throughout this coming week, and we also need the necessities for our travel back home on Tuesday. Fuel, food, travel expenses and the everyday things that keep us going may not be the exciting part of rescue work, but without them, we simply cannot keep doing the work.
This is make-it-happen time. If you believe dogs like Spiros deserve to be seen as individuals—not as numbers, statistics or simply part of a “cause”—please help us today. Even a small amount adds up and helps us keep going.
❤️ Ways to help right now:
Necessities — our biggest need today: Help with necessities
Join Patreon for $5/month: 2 Traveling Dogs Patreon www.patreon.com/2travelingdogsrescue
Venmo: travelingdogs2
Zelle: rachael@2travelingdogs.com
If you cannot help financially, please share Spiros’ story and our rescue work this week. We have so much more from this visit that we want to show you. We have the platforms. We have the stories. We have the ideas and the determination. What we need right now is the support to keep going and to get home Tuesday so we can continue the work.
Thank you for believing that every rescue animal deserves to be seen. ❤️🐾
