Rafan found a home: from fear to a garden full of balls

When the municipal police brought Rafan in back in March, he hid in the corner of the carrier and would not look at anyone. He had been found tied up by an allotment site, with no microchip and claws so long that walking was hard. Nobody ever came looking for him.

The first weeks at the shelter

He spent his first fortnight in quarantine. He only ate once everyone had left. Jana, one of our keepers, would sit by his kennel with a book and leave treats on the floor. In the third week he took a biscuit from her hand for the first time. By the fifth week he was greeting her with a wagging tail.

Small steps forward

Volunteers practised lead walking with him, first just around the yard, then around the pond. It turned out that Rafan adores balls and comes alive outdoors in the grass. The distrustful dog became a friend who asks for attention himself.

Plain routine helped too: the same walk every morning, the same bowl, the same person. Rafan realised that nothing bad was going to happen to him and began watching the world around him with curiosity. When a new female dog arrived in May, he was the first to sniff her and invite her to play.

A family willing to wait

The Nováks first came in June. Rafan ignored them and hid behind Jana. Instead of choosing another dog, they came every Saturday to take him for a walk – eight times in all. On their ninth visit Rafan lay down next to their daughter Eliška of his own accord and rolled over for a belly rub.

In August they signed the adoption contract. Before they left, we went through together what stresses Rafan and how to make his first days at home easier.

How he is doing now

The Nováks recently sent us photos from their garden. Rafan has his own bed by the stove, three balls and a close eye on every blackbird in the neighbourhood. On walks, they say, he greets the neighbours, and Eliška is teaching him to fetch.

Rafan’s story shows that even a frightened dog can change. All it takes is time and people willing to give it. If you are looking for a companion, take a look at the animals still waiting for their home.