More than a decade ago, visitors to Crete—one of Greece’s most beloved all-year-round destinations—began adding an unlikely stop to their itineraries: Takis Shelter, now one of the country’s most famous animal welfare organizations.
The man behind it, Theoklitos (Takis) Proestakis, was once the owner of a nightclub in Ierapetra. But witnessing the suffering of abandoned dogs on the island changed his life forever. He walked away from nightlife and devoted himself to rescuing strays. Social media soon discovered his raw, emotional videos—encounters with chained, mistreated, or abandoned dogs—where Takis’ compassion and persistence brought terrified animals back to life. These clips went viral, shared by major platforms, and turned Takis into a global symbol of hope for animal lovers.
Now, his story comes to the screen in a moving new documentary, “Takis,” directed by Michael Roubis and written by Anna Poudra. Premiered at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival in March 2025, the film traces his journey from nightclub owner to animal rescuer, showing how his sanctuary—now home to over 400 dogs and cats—has transformed local attitudes and inspired international support in tackling Greece’s stray animal crisis.
The shelter itself is extraordinary. Located in Ierapetra, in southern Crete, it covers 33,000 square meters of private, enclosed olive groves, where rescued dogs and cats can run freely and safely. Every animal has its own name, story, and personality. A quick visit to the shelter’s Facebook page—followed by almost one million supporters—reveals daily moments of joy and care, despite the suffering most animals experienced before arriving at Takis Shelter: a dog running at the yard of his new home in Austria, cats sunbathing in the Cretan light, or newcomers taking their first steps toward safety and love.
What makes Takis Shelter truly special is not just the scale of its rescue efforts, but the sense of intimacy it offers. Supporters from across the world can follow an animal’s journey from the day it is rescued to the moment it finds its forever home—they can track their daily lives, or even help choose names. Many visitors travel to Crete specifically to volunteer, or simply to spend a day surrounded by the animals who have found safety and love in Takis’ care.
Where and When to See the Documentary
The Athens premiere of “Takis” will take place on September 18 at the open-air Anesis Cinema, with the filmmakers present. Screenings will continue at Danaos Cinema on September 19, 20, 21, and 22. Additional screenings are scheduled for Volos (October 4) and Rethymno (October 11) as part of the CineDoc Festival, which runs from September 2025 through April 2026 with a program of premieres, special screenings, and parallel events.
Audiences will also have the chance to vote for the film in the Audience Award category via QR codes provided at screenings. In a special gesture, the Anesis premiere will welcome spectators with their dogs—complete with ice cream treats for four-legged guests, courtesy of Maraboo Ice Cream.
Screenings are held in collaboration with Zero Stray Pawject, the Animal Welfare Union of Ilioupoli, Cat Cafe Athens, the Hellenic Rescue Team of Attica, Synyparcho of Nea Anchialos, and the Volos Animal Welfare Society Cosmos & Nature. Q&A sessions with these organizations will follow select screenings.
For more about the shelter and ways to support it, visit takisshelter.org
