A dog that spent 19 years on a chain knows freedom for the first time.
A poor dog got his first taste of freedom after spending his entire life chained up outside. When Takis, from the Takis shelter in Greece, visited the dog’s owner, he learned the dog was 19 years old. “He said he remembered very well that he got him as a puppy in April 2004, so the dog is really 19 years old,” Takis wrote on his YouTube channel in February 2023.
I asked the owner if the poor dog had ever been free and he said he had only been free a few times when he escaped from the chain, maybe two or three times. The dog is in shocking condition, so close to death, and I took him with me to die in my shelter and not in a chain.”
Elvis, as Takis called him, was eating dry cat food, but not enough considering how skinny he was. He was so frail and skinny that when he arrived at the shelter, his back legs didn’t have the strength to walk – they had atrophied because he hadn’t been free to walk. But he was immediately curious about the other dogs and wanted to say hello. Takis noticed that none of the dogs barked when they first met Elvis – perhaps it was a great sign of respect for this old man?
At first, Elvis didn’t know how to walk straight. But he wanted to get out, enjoy his freedom and roam. The shelter staff helped him get around with a harness and Takis took him under his wing. Takis wanted to bring Elvis “back to life.” Takis noticed that Elvis has a very strong spirit, because even though he has no muscles, he wants to walk for hours and he has a good appetite.
Since arriving at Takis’ shelter, Elvis has been getting better every day. “It’s amazing how nice all the dogs are to him,” Takis said in a later video.
A month later, Elvis is doing much better than he was on his first visit (where, honestly, he was on the verge of death).
Today, Elvis can walk on his own and looks forward to going out every day to visit the other dogs. Every morning, he waits at the door of his kennel for Takis to let him out.
He is also able to walk straighter (his back legs have strengthened) and is now enjoying his freedom.
He can also sleep on soft blankets, free from the weight of the chain.
Viewers find it hard to understand that Elvis spent two decades in chains. One viewer wrote, “My heart breaks for that poor boy…. The tears are flowing uncontrollably. So many years of suffering. Hind legs under developed. Thank you Takis… He is in good hands now”.
Another viewer wrote: “I can’t believe he survived so long in such bad conditions. It’s a real miracle. I hope he can spend the rest of his life in comfort and peace. Thank you for all you do, Takis. You are a miracle worker. Watch video bellow:
Source: dogheirs.com
