This was the Facebook post, in August 2024, which started Giannis’s journey from the wildfires of a Greek summer to Pointers in Need and a wonderful lady called Zoe, in Kent.
“Gianni is a contract firefighter. He was abandoned at a fire station in Thessaloniki and what he knows how to do well is to offer his company to many firefighters in these difficult days. However, it is wintering and his colleagues will flee the prison.
Giannis has nowhere to go. He is a cute doll, with a golden heart that loves everyone. He is one and a half years old, 18 kg, with excellent character.
Very faithful and loving. I have no words for this dog. Ideal for families with children.
If you are interested in this, message me.“
Abandoned and desolate, and facing a very uncertain future. None of the firefighters were able to offer Giannis a home when their work was done. Was he to be left, to fend for himself again? Pointers in Need vowed to help this beautiful tri-coloured Pointer…
Here is Zoe’s very personal story.
“2024 had started for me with complicated neck surgery and I then married the love of my life in early February. I thought the year was going to calm down.
“Sadly, very shortly after our wedding, my husband was admitted to hospital and days later we got the devastating news that his cancer was back and had spread. There was nothing they could do. He died 5 weeks later.
“Wookie, my main boy, had been diagnosed with immune Thrombocytopenia exactly a year before in 2023 and we had survived 2 relapses . But all seemed ok with him.
But in July I suffered a stroke and only a month later I lost Wookie during what was his 3rd relapse: this time it was all too much for his body.
“I felt I had lost everything ….. until I saw a post for Giannis ….. a beautiful boy who was befriended by the firefighters. Giannis touched the heart of Pointers in Need who promised to help him. And Giannis touched my heart too. I sent an email to Claire and the next thing Giannis was being prepped for his trip to the UK, where I was getting so excited. I needed him and he needed me.
“He arrived to me safely and introductions to his family began. The first one being Tonika, a little Jack Russell who I got in May, in loving memory of my late husband Tony. The two of them hit it off and have become the very best of friends. Little and Large, double trouble began.
“I set to work training Giannis on long walks around the village so he could understand commands and noises. He was so responsive. This boy was winning my heart more and more, so quickly, and I knew he was going to be my boy.
“In the meantime I’d set up a Widows & Widowers group in Canterbury and the surrounding villages and it’s took off by storm. Yannis, as he’s now named (cut down for recall purposes), attended meetings – a big first step into unknown environments. Coffee mornings were the next level. This boy not only shook me, but my members too, as after a while he jumped on the sofa and lay down.
“The shops were the next thing and for a dog that had never been into one, with so many people in and out, he took it so well … to say I’m so proud of this boy is an understatement.
My heart goes out to Claire and Domo of Pointers in Need for bringing this special boy to me to love. He’s certainly not only won my heart, but the heart of everyone else he has met too.
“Yes, it’s been a little bit bumpy at times, but I just have to get up , dust myself down and carry on.
“I knew Claire from about 5/6 years ago when some girls in Greece, from whom I was rehoming a Pointer, were looking for some help to get her across and found Pointers in Need. Claire and I, to this day, talk about how we never thought we would see the Pointer, Winnie, as it was the biggest nightmare ever. She finally arrived. But what a terrible journey!
I’ve always followed Pointers in Need and I speak to Claire. I also offer my help to do home checks if needed.
“We messaged each other about Giannis. She said Giannis and I would be so suited: he would be fine for me. I’ve sent Claire pictures of his progress, first walk out etc and she said she could cry and thanked me for being so patient with him.
“The funniest thing was, before he came, she kept saying how nutty he was! I was thinking, what have I done lol? But I knew he would be ok. Yiannis is proving such a star in what he does and people adore him and always say to me ‘What a beautiful dog‘ or ‘Love his colour’.
And everyone seems so interested in him and his story.
“He’s a super loving dog, goes like the clappers when running, but people say he never takes his eyes off me. And when we’re out, he panics a bit, but spins round, and sits on my feet, guarding me, watching.
“He’s a very cuddly boy and just wants love all the time. He has this thing where I say he’s a baby. When he sleeps, he puts his paw over his nose. It makes me upset sometimes as I imagine him doing this in the wild mountains, alone. But now he has the comfort and love of our home.
“When he first arrived he didn’t know what sleep was, keeping one eye, one ear, open all the time. I knew this was his survival mechanism, protecting him in what must have been an awful world. But he sleeps now, he snores!!! But it brings me joy knowing he’s sleeping in safety and comfort. He did settle down quite quickly, especially knowing what he’s been through. The penny dropped very quickly.
“His training is coming on so well and I have to say he’s the most responsive dog I’ve ever known and I’ve dealt with hundreds of rescues, whether it’s been homing them myself or homing them to others through my Rescue I used to run.
“Yannis is one characterful dog! His expressions are something else! Cheeky, and he puffs his cheeks out when he’s waiting for the ball to be thrown or something like that. With a twist of his head and then the ears …. I’m sure you can picture it…. and he just has me laughing all the time.
“He’s amazing on the lead. Off lead, he goes like the wind and the first 5-10 mins, in a secure field, he’s gone, checking stuff out, whizzing around. Then he will start listening more and settle down but always running and sniffing.
“He sleeps on my bed every night and is such a good boy. When he wakes up it’s a head across for a kiss and a cuddle before it’s time for a wee and brekki.
“He’s learnt sit and wait for food, paw and other paw, nicely, and he’s also recalls to squeezy cheese. That’s my super secret to recall and training: Primula Cheese squirted from the tube every time you want them to do something. Bingo, you have a very quick learning dog. But he is something else, so rewarding and wants to please … we were really made for each other.
“We all went on our first holibobs in March, to a dog friendly cottage in the lakes in Cumbria where we did loads of walking , swimming (dogs!) and had a really lovely time. I’m going to book another trip up there shortly for later in the year as it’s just such a magical place, and was always mine and Tony’s happy place. He would be so happy for me and the dogs: the dogs were always his love and his family.”
Adopter: Zoe Tyzack
