Volunteering at Footprints of Joy: Annachiara’s story
Eleven years after her first experience in Romania, dog trainer Annachiara Chemello — known online as creator Naki Earth — returned to volunteer with the Save the Dogs team at Footprints of Joy.
During her time at the shelter, Annachiara supported different areas of our work. To begin with, she helped organize and manage our monthly sterilization marathon, assisting vets by administering anti-parasitic treatments and monitoring the dogs’ post-surgery recovery.
Over the following days, she joined the adoption team, contributing to the dogs’ training and socialization programs. She focused particularly on puppies and those in quarantine, helping them gain confidence through play and human interaction.
One of the most moving moments for Annachiara was accompanying our staff during food distribution rounds for stray dogs. She was struck by the clear progress compared to eleven years previously: there were far fewer dogs roaming freely in the areas where we work, which is a direct result of our ongoing sterilization and prevention initiatives.
Annachiara described her time at the shelter as deeply moving and inspiring, full of teamwork and shared purpose. To celebrate her volunteering experience, she also launched a fundraising campaign to support Save the Dogs.
«Coming back to Footprints of Joy after 11 many years was an incredible experience. It was wonderful to see how the shelter has grown and changed. In particular, I found the food distribution to the stray animals very emotional — helping the free-roaming dogs while also witnessing the poverty of the people. It helped me understand the difficult context in which Save the Dogs operates every day. Despite the challenges, there are far fewer dogs on the streets now, thanks to the consistency of the sterilization campaigns. It felt great to be part of such a dedicated team.»
Annachiara Chemello, Naki Earth
