Adult Dogs
2+ Years

This gentle 15-year-old dog, weighing under 5 kg, was entrusted to us by her owner. As you can imagine, her world was turned upside down, and the first days were hard for her, but she is getting braver every day. She gets along with everyone and enjoys sleeping in bed with Christina and Dave. She even saved the day recently—you can read the story on our Facebook page.

Zaika had been living for almost 5 years within the airport area in fear of humans who probably have harmed her. Many of her litters have passed from the shelter through time and thankfully have been rehomed but she always remained an elusive creature , like a "Zaika" wild rabbit. Finally the day came that this exhausted mamma with immense persistence was caught and now is enjoying motherhood in the safety of the shelter showing us trust and feeling grateful not to have to fend to keep her pups alive anymore. A big thank you to Fraport Santorini and the Municipality of Santorini for helping us get mamma Zaika and of course to all the dedicated volunteers who never gave up on her and kept feeding her all these years through the fenced area of the airport. Some of her recent pups are still with us, and she’s currently living with them, but she also loves joining the adult dogs on their walks. Zaika is gentle and kind with all the younger dogs — even those that aren’t her own puppies.

When we found four of her puppies dumped on our beach, we knew we had to find out where they came from. We managed to track down their mother and freed her from the relentless cycle of neglect—chained and left behind with the last pup who had been "chosen to stay." Mamma Poufi is around eight years old, but she’s still full of energy and in great shape. Despite being dehydrated and malnourished when she arrived, she and her puppies made a full recovery. All of her pups have since been adopted and are thriving — now it’s her turn to find a loving home. Poufi has moved in with some adult dogs and even enjoys playing with them.

Mama of the little pointers we never saw again in Oia after the earthquakes… So gentle, and her pups still recognized her. Sadly, she was attacked by a wild pack of dogs on the trail from Oia to Imerovigli. Luckily, some tourists found her, and she’s been recovering at the vets for the past two months.

He didn’t have the easiest start. He was likely abandoned after last year’s earthquakes and was found alone in a field, where other dogs gave him a pretty rough welcome. After vet care and time in the shelter, he’s learning that humans aren’t so scary after all. He may start off shy, but once he trusts you, he’s all in. He’s a medium-sized sweetheart who just needs a home that shows him the world isn’t as awful as it once seemed. He’s not a tough guy, not the loudest in the group, just a gentle soul looking for his person.

Mama of the M-Puppies. We got reports of a very thin dog on the caldera hike to Oia. So the search for her started, and once she was found, she led us to her 8 wonderful puppies. Mabel is a very relaxed dog. No matter what, she is always patient with her puppies. She loves human affection. She's just a very nice dog!

This lovely senior Staffy girl was surrendered when her owners had to leave the island after the earthquakes in February 2025. She was very chubby when she arrived, but the morning walks and socializing with the other dogs helped her lose a lot of weight. She gets along well with all our dogs, but there is one who terrorized her one too many times. She even has a shepherd who is over the moon for her and showers her with affection. Sheila doesn't like it too much, but she is still nice to her when she tells her off. On the morning walks, she walks free or on a leash...she is perfect with both. She absolutely adores people and forms strong bonds quickly. Because of her Staffy character, we're looking for a home that knows and loves the breed. Someone who appreciates that Staffies come with big hearts, big smiles, and sometimes big opinions.

Wolfgang and his buddy Gina literally showed up at the shelter on their own — and decided to stay. He’s a handsome shepherd who loves being petted and getting treats, though he’s not a fan of climbing things — Wolfgang prefers to keep his paws firmly on the ground. He’s used to wearing a harness on his daily walks and gets along well with all the dogs. One time, he even joined Gina on a trip to the vet to save a life through a blood transfusion. He walked into the clinic like a true gentleman and patiently waited until Gina was ready to go home.

Agata is such a sweetheart! She is initially afraid of new things, but her curiosity and love for treats help her overcome her fears. A new person? Give her a little time to assess them. Someone taking pictures of her with a scary black box? Let her get to know them first so they can capture her best side! Once she knows you, she will seek you out and trust your guidance in situations that scare her. Update July 2026: I just volunteered at SAWA, and the first couple of days Agata was wondering why I was seeking her out and was really shy and jumpy. After 2 days, she started to work with me. You need to be thoughtful of your movements at first and have patience to let her work it out for herself. Once she does, she is enthusiastic and her self-esteem rises. At the beginning she always walked at the very end of the pack on our walks to the beach, but after two weeks she walked with me at the front and was even confident enough to run with another pointer, though she headed right back to me afterward. She loves to be cuddled so much, but she needs to know first that you are gentle and trustworthy. If you give her a chance to come out of her shell, she will surprise you.

Rocco's owner had to leave the island, and now he's looking for a new family to call his own. He is used to family life and thrives when he has people around him. He loves being close to his humans and soaking up all the attention he can get. Rocco also has a strong hunting instinct and loves to follow interesting scents and chase after anything that moves, from lizards to birds. This makes him a dog who needs an active home and an owner who understands and can channel his hunting drive in a positive way. Think games, training, and plenty of exercise to keep that sharp nose and quick reflexes happy. If you're looking for an affectionate, people-loving dog with a bit of a wild side, Rocco might just be your perfect match!