Footprints of Joy

Costel is 13 years old and has spent his whole life as a neighborhood dog. For the last few years he had been cared for and looked after by the owners of a bar, but when the new owners took over, we received a phone call at our center asking us to: “Come and get him, we don’t want him here.”

Costel suffers from heartworm, but the greatest hardship he will have to endure during the twilight years of his life will be the loss of his sight due to old age. He moves around his surroundings cautiously, has to learn where the hidden obstacles are and is now living at our shelter in Romania with the little dogs who keep him company in the inpatient room.

Every time Costel sees one of his companions leave for a new life with a family, it is always very upsetting.

Costel cannot be put up for adoption in Sweden until 2022, as he will need to spend one more year being treated in our clinic in Romania. In Northern Europe, in fact, heartworm is inexistent, and our policy prevents us from sending a dog still undergoing treatment for adoption with a family. But at the grand old age of 13 we know that every day is a gift and we don’t want to keep him at the clinic for such a long period of time!

It would be so wonderful if he could spend the coming months in the care of a family right here in Italy, where we are used to looking after dogs like Costel. Despite the darkness in which he will have to live, we would love it if he could receive the affection he deserves during the final years of his life.

Costel definitely needs a great deal of care and attention because of his blindness, but also due to his heartworm condition, which means he will have to follow ongoing treatment.

If you think you could take care of Costel or if you know someone willing to take care of him, please write to our Adoption Manager Alessandra at the following e-mail address alessandra@savethedogs.eu.

Thank you for anything you can do to help this lovely old-timer!