Hello to all my chums at Lemnos!
To those who don’t remember me, my name was Periklis, named after a Greek statesman. I was dumped at the shelter four years ago when I was about 8-10 years old so no one really knows much about me before that time other than I was probably chained up because I ground away my front teeth.
I stayed at the shelter for a whole year and it was the first time in my life that I experienced any kindness. The volunteers, Fay, Vaggelio and the other ladies were lovely to me and when they visited, I was allowed out of my pen and able to mix with the other dogs and cats but I was confined to my pen most of the time with food thrown through the grid at the front by the man who ran the shelter. It was very hard keeping warm in the Winter but I did have some straw to lie on when the snow came and the ladies put perspex covers at the front of the grid to help keep the draught out but it was a very lonely time.
Then Spring came followed by Summer and I was given a good brush and taken on a car ride to the ferry where the ladies said goodbye and told me that I was going to start a new life. Next I arrived in a hotel in Athens and spent the night in the doggy hotel and then another ride in a custom built transit van with some chums, air conditioning and my very own blanket!
Eventually, I arrived at a new house. It was night time, very dark and some people called Rob and Karen came to meet me. They took me into their home. I was a bit scared and watched out of the window as the van that had become my home for the last few days, drove away. Then, another dog came to meet me, another German Shepherd like me, called Cara. She was a bit pushy and kept kissing me so Rob told her to give me some space. We had a nice dinner, much nicer than I had at the shelter and I gobbled it down really fast in case Cara tried to steal it. Then we all went to bed. I had my very own bed in the bedroom with Rob, Karen and Cara – it’s nice and fluffy with pillows at either end. Once we go to bed, I stay in it all night without moving in case anyone tries to take it off me.
The next day, Rob man went down the side of the garden to a gate at the end. I tried to see what was at the other side but Rob stepped in front of it to stop me going through and I thought he was going to hit me so I curled up in a ball and started screaming for mercy. Rob was very upset, gave me lots of fuss and told me that I need never to worry about being hit again because I am now safe.
I love car rides but I get really scared when it’s time to get back into the car to go home in case they drive off and leave me behind like the time I was dumped at the shelter. I also don’t like being in the boot of the car with Cara in the cage thing. I kept shouting at them that it reminds me of being shut in the pen at the shelter but it took them ages to work out that if I sit on the back seat, I’m as quiet as a mouse. (Between you and me, I don’t think they understand Greek).
They keep saying “Lucas” to me, I’m not sure why but every time they say it, if I go over to investigate, they give me a treat. Splendid! They also give me puzzles which is some sort of annoying way of having an extra meal. I think I’ll stay here though. They have a cat called Tiberius who is my best friend and comes to lie next to me in the garden. Karen says that out of all our German Shepherds, Tiberius is the only vicious one but that’s not really true. Rob and Karen look after me, take me for walks and sometimes we have a field to ourselves to run around in. Sometimes we go swimming in a pool which I’m not that keen on but it’s good for my back legs apparently. Sometimes we go to visit Auntie Jean who is a very kind lady who doesn’t mind all of us visiting and sometimes we go on holiday in a caravan thing which is a bit cramped to be honest with you, but we get to run on the beach and paddle in the sea and Rob doesn’t have to go to work.
Cara is quite annoying as a sort of sister – it took her four days until she stopped trying to kiss me. She likes to head-butt me until I get fed up and chase after her which is something she calls a game. She does tell tales on me to Karen though, if I try to steal her toy or do something which isn’t allowed, like slurping Karen’s drink when she’s not looking.
Anyway, I just wanted to say to all my old friends who are still at the shelter, don’t give up hope. There is someone out there for everyone, someone who will take care of you and show you what living life as a dog should be like. It just takes time to find that special person.
To Fay, Vaggelio and all the other lovely volunteers, thank you, thank you, thank you for your kindness, for keeping me safe, taking care of me and for giving me a second chance in life.
