Eco Hvar

Puppy love

Published in About Animals

Luck intervened when a puppy was left to its fate on wasteland near Split on a hot day in July.

Found: an abandoned waif Found: an abandoned waif Photo: Vivian Grisogono

July 2017 was hot, and any animal abandoned or lost without water was likely to die of dehydration. On July 24th I was visiting Dr Zdenka Filipovič in her surgery in Split. Dr.Filipović has helped Eco Hvar to home dogs successfully, mainly in Germany, and we were discussing further cooperation, when a young couple appeared at the door, carrying a little bundle of fur.

Brought to Dr. Filipović's surgery. Photo: Vivian Grisogono

Theirs was a sad tale. They were exploring some rough land on the eastern edge of Split, when they heard the sound of a puppy crying. They managed to locate it, and then spent two hours searching the area to see if there was any sign of an owner, or perhaps any other abandoned puppies.This one was alone and frightened, so they picked him up. They looked after him in their caravan until the following day. Then inquiries led them to Dr Filipović, who runs the Animalis Centrum No-kill shelter at Kaštel Sućurac, to the west of Split.

The puppy was as cute as could be, very quiet, accepting its fate. Its saviours spoke German, with some English as our common language. While Dr. Filipović prepared the paperwork for accepting the puppy, the young lady began to cry. I asked her why, and she explained that she could not understand anyone abandoning such a beautiful creature so cruelly. Her distress was fully understandable. No animal lover can come to terms with the ways some people treat animals, which range from unfeeling and uncaring to cruel, sometimes even sadistic. I tried to console her, pointing out that they had certainly saved the puppy's life; he was so endearing, there would be no difficulty in finding him a home. She continued to cry. Then I asked why they didn't keep him, as they had obviously become attached to him, and he was equally obviously happy with them. There were many practical reasons why that was not possible. They were putting a brave face on it, and were resigned to leaving him in the shelter.

Putting a brave face on it. Photo: Vivian Grisogono

So the formalities were done, and the puppy stayed, still quiet and accepting. We all went our separate ways. I headed to the ferry port, where I found to my dismay that, although I arrived an hour and a half before the 14:30 departure, the ferry was too full for my car. That meant that I and my four-legged companion Nada were condemned to a further two and half hours of long waiting before the 17:00 ferry would waft us home. It was too hot to walk anywhere, and the car had to stay in the queue, so we had no choice but to stay too. We had plenty of water, and I shaded the car and opened it up to the light breeze which gave us welcome respite from the heat. We were lucky, especially by contrast with many. Sadly, the expression 'blazing heat' was all too literal in Dalmatia during the summer of 2017. Major fires were burning just outside Split, and the Canadairs were busy flying over head in a constant procession, trying to bring them under control. Watching this coordinated effort from the safety of Split harbour was a reminder of how fortunate Croatia is to have excellent, dedicated and well-trained firefighters, many of them volunteers who devote a lot of their time and energy throughout the year in order to be prepared for fire emergencies.

Canadair flying high over Split harbour. Photo: Vivian Grisogono

Next day, July 25th, was the feast day of St. James, the patron saint of Pitve, and I was making my way up to the village church for the special celebratory Mass and Procession, when I received an unexpected phone call. Yesterday's rescuers had decided they would take the puppy home with them after all. I immediately contacted Dr. Filipović's animal shelter, and there was joy all round. Diana and Stefan went to collect the puppy, now named Grey. He had definitely fallen on his feet and found true love.

All the necessary arrangements for his inoculations and travel documents were made, and some days later Grey was off to his new life in Germany.

Eco Hvar has been delighted to receive messages at intervals, confirming happiness on all sides. Each message has vibrated with joy, such as the email received on 23rd August 2017, almost a month after the rescue: "you are welcome to publish the pictures and story of Grey on your website. We will continue to inform you about the development of Grey. He is a great dog and for us what is very special. We are so glad to have accepted him in our family !!! Best wishes, Diana & Stefan".

A happy tale, one which makes Eco Hvar glad to be involved in animal rescue work. There is so much that we cannot help, but one successful rescue is enormous compensation. Just as Grey is rewarding his rescuers with the unconditional love that a happy pet bestows, Eco Hvar is rewarded by the reflected love from all concerned. THANK YOU, DIANA AND STEFAN! The Animalis Centrum shelter posted a 'thank-you' message on their Facebook page.

The rescue was excellent in itself. even better is the feedback from Grey's new home. He has an impressive new family, one Jack Russell terrier and two Maine coons, guaranteeing good socialization with cats and dogs alike. The cats especially look capable of keeping their new little bear-like companion in order!

Grey's new family. Photo courtesy of Stefan & Diana

We had warned Diana and Stefan that the puppy was likely to grow to quite a big size, as we felt he had a streak of Tornjak. Within a month, he had certainly grown at a fast pace.

Growing fast! Photo courtesy of Diana and Stefan

Diana and Stefan looked into Grey's possible genetic makeup, and came up with another possibility:

"At first we also thought that Grey was a Tornjak, but after a long research on the Internet we came across the Carpatin. The carpatin puppy looks very similar to Grey. One must say that the Tornjak and the Carpatin are very similar in nature and appearance.
We are aware that Grey will be a very big dog and a good education is very important to us. We have noticed that he needs a very loving but also a very consistent education. But he is also very docile. "Seat!" And "Place!" He has already learned ;-) and the rest will still work.
Grey will soon visit the puppy school to make contact with his fellow-citizens. Unfortunately, he was much too early from his siblings and Mom away and the education he would have been missing him. Our dog (a Jack Russell), she is already 13 years old, also plays with Grey and also puts him in the barriers, but she is also glad when she has her rest and lets Grey go through a lot.
We are really excited about Grey's nature and his style. He is just the right dog for us and we are really happy with him !!!" (email 25.08.2017)

Obviously Grey was destined to meet Diana and Stefan. There has been great good luck on all sides. One cannot know what the future will bring, but the signs are good, and the present is perfect.

Update in December 2017: Grey meets his first snow! And he's grown into a beauty...

December 2017

While Grey obviously loves being outdoors, he also enjoys living in the lap of comfortable luxury in his lovely warm home.

Grey in regal mode, 16th December 2017. Photo: courtesy of Diana and Stefan

We are extremely glad for Grey and his loving rescue-family. His was the happiest rescue tale of the year 2017 for Eco Hvar.

Dozing peacefully, 2nd January 2018. Photo courtesy of Diana and Stefan

The New Year saw Grey growing grander, still surrounded by the unlimited love which saved his life when he was very small. Writing to Eco Hvar on 17th January 2018, doting owner Diana reported: "Grey is very well. He is really our sunshine ?". His photographs reveal a fully contented dog, able to rest peacefully at the right time, but always ready for any action he might be called to. Lucky boy, lucky owners!

Ready for action! Photo courtesy of Diana and Stefan

© Vivian Grisogono MA(Oxon) 2017 - 2018

A SPECIAL PLEA: SUPPORT THE BESTIE FOUNDATION FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION

Twelve good reasons for helping the Bestie Foundation.

PLEASE DONATE!

Details for donations:

Via the bank:
Zaklada Bestie
Kukuljevićeva 1, 21000 Split
Otp banka
IBAN: HR9324070001100371229
SWIFT: OTPVHR2X

Paypal donate button: https://www.paypal.me/ZakladaBestie

back to top
You are here: Home about animals Puppy love

Eco Environment News feeds

  • The global sand crisis: it’s being used up faster than it can be replaced

    It is the most extracted solid material on Earth – but this extraction can threaten ecosystems and livelihoods

    Malé is one of the world’s most overcrowded cities, but it faces double pressure. As well as a growing population, the capital of the Maldives is also threatened by rising sea levels. Owing to climate breakdown, its living space is shrinking.

    So the justification for a land reclamation project seemed clear. Take sand from elsewhere in the archipelago and use it to build up the land available for Malé’s people. What could go wrong? After all, it’s only sand, right?

    Continue reading...

  • ‘Six lanes of tarmac and vehicles doing 70mph’: can ‘green bridges’ help animals cross the UK’s motorways in safety?

    Cockrow Bridge in Surrey will open in the coming weeks to provide wildlife, including lizards and insects, with the ability to move between fragmented habitats

    When James Herd moved near to Wisley Common 17 years ago, the heathland nature reserve was teeming with wildlife. “I’d take the dog around the common in spring and summer, and every few hundred metres I’d hear the rustle of a lizard in the undergrowth – and I’d see adders,” he says.

    But over the past decade, the Surrey Wildlife Trust’s director of reserves management, who oversees the internationally important habitat, has seen that wildlife become depleted.

    Continue reading...

  • Sharp drop in ‘forever chemicals’ in seabird eggs hailed as win for regulation

    Levels of Pfas in northern gannet eggs in Canada fell up to 74% over 55-year period of study

    Levels of some of the most dangerous Pfas compounds have dramatically fallen in Canadian seabird eggs, which the authors of a new peer-reviewed study say illustrates how regulations are effective.

    Researchers looked at Pfas levels in the eggs of northern gannets in the St Lawrence Seaway basin over a 55-year period. Pfas levels shot up from the 1960s through the peak of the chemicals’ use in the late 1990s and early aughts, then fell.

    Continue reading...

  • ‘I couldn’t breathe’: the sinister spread of France’s killer seaweed

    After a series of deaths on the beaches of Brittany, one bereaved family set out to prove the foul-smelling bloom was to blame

    When her phone rang at around 5pm on 8 September 2016, Rosy Auffray was still at work. It was one of her daughters, distressed, calling to tell her that their father, Jean-René, had not come back from his daily run. Only the family dog had returned, alone and exhausted. Rosy rushed back home.

    When she arrived, Rosy noticed that the dog was behaving bizarrely: she refused to walk, then collapsed under a bush. Her fur stank of rotten eggs, of overflowing sewers. Rosy knew where that smell came from: the mudflats roughly three miles from the family home in Brittany, where seaweed had been accumulating and putrefying. The soggy, decomposing seaweed stretched for miles along the shore, sometimesas much asfive feet thick, killing other plants and suffocating fish and small birds.

    Continue reading...

  • Lasers in the sky: hi-tech missions track record snowpack loss in US west

    Data from missions showing critically low snowpack on mountains across the west raises alarm among experts

    High above the jagged peaks of California’s Sierra Nevada, the view from the cockpit is breathtaking. At first glance, the mountains appear draped in a pristine white blanket. But as the flight crew gears up for a high-stakes mission, the sensors onboard this specialized aircraft prove that looks can be deceiving.

    “This is a distinct dry year,” says Tom Painter, CEO of Airborne Snow Observatories.

    Continue reading...

  • Norway puts UN project funding on hold raising fears for plastics treaty talks

    Move by largest donor to environment programme poses further uncertainty for already troubled negotiations

    The largest donor to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) has paused funding to the body before its revised budget on 12 May, triggering concern among member states and NGOs.

    The news could carry significance for the already troubled plastic treaty negotiations being overseen by Unep. Since 2022 countries have been struggling to agree on how to deal with the volume of plastics being produced and used, a subject widely acknowledged to be one of the most serious environmental issues of the age, but despite six rounds of talks there has been no agreement in sight.

    Continue reading...

  • Country diary: No Mow May is back on track – and the results are wonderful | Jennifer Jones

    Hunt’s Cross, Liverpool: A survey of the roadside verge turns up 21 species including cuckoo flower and yarrow. But not everyone likes it

    The impact was visceral. For days last spring I watched an army of confederates, with their uniforms of fiery gold bands and anthracite hoops, advancing up the road. They were cinnabar moth caterpillars, gathered on their host plant, common ragwort. And thanks to Liverpool city council’s observance of No Mow May, there were plenty of both in the roadside verge near my home.

    But days before the month ended, the mowing team arrived, like pilgrims breaking their Lenten fast early. The ragworts and their parties of travellers were churned up and spat out. I was desolate.

    Continue reading...

  • Rugby sevens star Kevin Wekesa: ‘I am not blaming Europeans but I must highlight climate injustices’

    The Kenyan player has been recognised for his advocacy and grassroots work to tackle sport’s carbon footprint

    “Most well-known people who talk about climate change are in North America and Europe,” says Kenyan rugby sevens star Kevin Wekesa, “but for us this is a very relevant conversation. It is not only about future tournaments or big international pledges. In Kenya, we see the effects in rising heat, cracked pitches and changing weather in communities where young athletes are growing up.”

    A year before competing in his first Olympic Games at Paris 2024, Wekesa responded to Kenya’s relegation from the top tier of international sevens by offering free rugby coaching in schools across Kenya. After travelling to a school in Kirinyaga on the slopes of Mount Kenya, a wet and verdant region, Wekesa found an unplayable dry field and was forced to cancel the session. One of the students told Wekesa that conditions had been similar for two months, while another suggested the unfamiliar weather was because of climate change.

    This is an extract from our newsletter, The Hotspot. To subscribe just visit this page and follow the instructions.

    Continue reading...

  • ‘It’s our kinship’: can Australia learn to coexist with dingoes?

    As dingoes vanish from parts of Australia, a new documentary is calling on governments to move away from eradication and towards solutions that benefit both farmers and animals

    Carol Pettersen was a small child when her family moved deep into the bush around the Fitzgerald river, on Western Australia’s south coast. It was the 1940s, and her white father and Aboriginal mother had broken the law simply by being together. So the bush became their refuge.

    In that country of mallee heath, banksias and low coastal scrub, dingoes were part of the family’s hidden world. At night, Pettersen could hear them calling through the dark; by day, she glimpsed them moving through the bush – a flicker of red fur among the trees.

    Continue reading...

  • ‘London is a case study in hope’: Sadiq Khan on 10 years as mayor

    London mayor talks up coalition-building, highlights his environmental record, and worries national Labour party is on the wrong track

    When Sadiq Khan was first elected as mayor of London 10 years ago, Barack Obama was US president, the UK was still in the European Union and Leicester City had just been crowned the unlikely champions of the English Premier League.

    In the intervening decade, Donald Trump has gone from reality TV star to two-time US president, the UK has had six different prime ministers, and Brexit has convulsed the country. London has been rocked by tragedies ranging from terror attacks to the Grenfell Tower fire.

    Continue reading...

Eco Health News feeds

Eco Nature News feeds

Copyright © 2026 Eco Hvar. All Rights Reserved. Developed by Orion Informatika.