Helping dogs gives my life deep meaning.
I've grown up with dogs my whole life. In our family they were always a natural part of life – whether it was our cocker spaniel Rokyna or our beagle Bady. From childhood I had a close bond with dogs and considered them full members of the family.
The first dog I truly cared for was Buffy – a shaggy mixed-breed female with an incredibly kind and affectionate nature. She belonged to my friend, whom I live with, but over the years she became my dog too. Sadly she left us after a serious illness at the age of fifteen.
We couldn't imagine life without a dog, so we decided to adopt. We came across Psi bez hranic and a dog named Ace who urgently needed a new home. At the time he was in a state shelter in Prača, where his submissive nature meant he likely wouldn't have survived long. The decision was clear.
The beginnings with Ace weren't easy – he was afraid of ordinary things, couldn't manage stairs, and for the first few weeks would only relieve himself in the garden. Gradually he got used to his new life, and today he's a fully adapted, calm and very affectionate dog who reminds us of Buffy in many ways.
After adopting Ace, I felt the need to keep helping. I started with small things at the organization – organizing dog meetups or posting listings for dogs. Gradually I became actively involved in adoptions, particularly of dogs from Romania, working with our rescuer Cristina.
Not long after, we took in Mia, a Samoyed mix found on the street in Bosnia, as a foster dog. The foster arrangement eventually turned into an adoption – Mia won over not just us but Ace as well, and today they're an inseparable pair.
Helping dogs gives my life deep meaning. Thanks to the other members of the organization, I'm constantly learning new things about dogs and their upbringing. Under Xenia's guidance I have the opportunity to keep educating myself, including through the Dog University courses.
