Individual Impact Of Individual Lives Saved

Bradley (Zacharias) lived on the street for 9 years until he found happiness.

Born in 2010, rescued in 2019, adopted in May 2019

Breed: “Mr. abused, scarred and mistreated oldi and loner who finally found happiness”

Current Home: With Francine, Andrew and three beautiful girls

My story: I have been roaming the island of Aegina for many years. I was semi stray, or semi owned, apparently by a horse carriage owner. At least that is what they say. I followed him around and ran after him when he and his horse ran over the island. As a consequence I was reported to almost die of exhaustion many times. I was many times found at the beach dehydrated. In late summer of 2017 I met the co-founder of ZSP Silja who immediately took interest in me. I am a very kind dog, who easily trusts people, rolls over for belly rubs. She looked at me and tried to find a solution, but the shelter was full and only accepted urgent cases. I appeared to be in good shape back then and therefore could not be taken in. I am a smart dog! Very smart! When she walked to the supermarket, I tagged along and waited patiently outside. I don’t speak any particular language, Greek, English, it is all Chinese to me. But I can read human’s body language. When she stepped out of the supermarket, she gave me a large can of dog food and water and I was sooooo happy.

I desperately tried to get myself adopted and was nice to everyone who showed me a tiny bit of kindness. When all tourists were gone, an evil person who did not like me pushed me into the ice cold water in November at the port. Witnesses reported the incident and I was rescued later that day, but I was never to be seen afterwards afterwards, so everyone feared that I had died. With so many stray dogs, it is impossible to track everyone of us.

But miracles happen and 1.5 years later, I showed up in front of a supermarket on the other side of Aegina, again begging for food. This time a local animal lover found me and shared me on her Facebook page. I was emaciated, skin and bones, sick and a complete mess. Silja heard about me and together with the local animal lover and her friends and the AAPA shelter, they all rallied to find me and get me into safety. I was temporarily housed at the shelter for a few weeks before I traveled with Silja to New York in May 2019. Upon arrival I was first fostered in Brooklyn before the right home was found for me. During my 1.5 weeks staying at my foster, Silja drove me to a specialized vet clinic where all sorts of tests were carried out on me. I have been living with chronic arthritis, a knee cap that was not in its socket, CCL tear and many other problems in pain for years. It is mind blowing how I survived for all those years. Then it took careful vetting to find the family who wants to adopt me despite of all my ongoing issues. But I was lucky thanks to Silja and Zero Stray Pawject. I met this amazing couple Francine and Andrew and their 3 beautiful teenager girls who immediately fell in love with me. I now live in a huge house in the countryside in Connecticut. The house used to be a restaurant and is very large over two floors. I can roam wherever I want. In front of my house, there are beautiful moaned lawns and I even have my own pond where I like to go swimming. I am loved, and petted all day and I LOVE it. I cannot fathom my luck, from an abused lonely dog who had to survive on the street for many years to a regal dog living in a huge house in the most beautiful countryside with a family who constantly pets and loves me. Thank you Zero Stray Pawject for not giving up on me !