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Rafiki

Mixed Breed · Male

Care for Dogs shelter kennel is located in the mountains. In Romania, there is still a strong shepherd culture in the countryside, especially in the mountains, and many dogs live in these areas as shepherd dogs that guard flocks of sheep and cows. Unfortunately, most of these dogs are seen as tools for work, and if a dog is no longer suitable for work for some reason, it is abandoned. Therefore, the shelter kennel regularly ends up with dogs of this type. In June 2022, the Care for Dogs shelter kennel was called about a dog that had been wandering around a residential area for a while. The residents considered the dog to be a nuisance, and if the garden staff did not come to take the dog away, they would call the local garden enforcement officers. Therefore, the staff had no other option than to go and pick up the dog and bring him to the shelter kennel for safety. Based on his appearance, the dog named Rafiki was probably previously used as a shepherd dog, until for some reason he was abandoned in an unfamiliar area. Rafiki is a gentle shy boy. He approaches strangers very curiously, but he is tense enough to prefer watching the strangers' movements from a little distance. However, with treats, it is easy to make friends with him, and soon Rafiki will eat treats from your hand even during visits. With familiar people, Rafiki is clearly braver and they can pat and handle him. Rafiki has also tried walking on a leash at the shelter kennel, but he was still very nervous, understandable, and needed many breaks during the walk to observe the situation. He is looking for a home where the inner life of a shy dog is understood and where he is given time to get used to new situations at his own pace. Rafiki has lived in the shelter kennel with a female companion and is the one of the pair that avoids if there is noise. Rafiki is a big barker at the fence, and when he was previously living on the streets, he chased, for example, bicycles and motorbikes. Because of this, a quiet home is being sought for him, preferably from the countryside.

FI·Show original

Care for Dogsin tarha sijaitsee vuorien keskellä. Romaniassa maaseuduilla ja varsinkin vuorilla elää vielä vahva paimenkulttuuri ja näillä alueilla elää paljon lampaita ja lehmiä paimentavia laumanvartijakoiria. Valitettavasti useimmat näistä koirista nähdään työvälineinä ja jos koira ei jostain syystä enää sovellu työhönsä, hänet hylätään. Niinpä tarhalle päätyy säännöllisesti tämän tyyppisiä koiria. Kesäkuussa 2022 Care for Dogsin tarhalle soitettiin koirasta, joka oli jo hetken pyörinyt eräällä asuinalueella. Asukkaiden mielestä koira oli häiriöksi ja elleivät tarhan työntekijät tulisi hakemaan koiraa pois, he soittaisivat paikalle kunnallisen tarhan rankkurit. Niinpä työntekijöille ei jäänyt muuta vaihtoehtoa, kuin käydä hakemassa koira tarhalle turvaan. Ulkonäkönsä perusteella Rafikiksi nimetty koira oli todennäköisesti aiemmin ollut paimenkäytössä, kunnes jostain syystä hänet oli hylätty vieraalle alueelle. Rafiki on herttainen ujo poika. Hän suhtautuu kovin uteliaasti vieraisiinkin ihmisiin, mutta jännittää heitä sen verran, että katselee mieluummin vieraiden touhuja hieman etäämmältä. Herkkujen avulla häneen on kuitenkin helppo tehdä tuttavuutta ja hyvin pian Rafiki käy syömässä kädestä herkkuja myös vierailta. Tuttujen ihmisten kanssa Rafiki on selvästi rohkeampi ja he saavat häntä rapsutella ja käsitellä. Rafiki on tarhalla myös käynyt kokeilemassa hihnalenkkeilyä, mutta jännitti sitä ymmärrettävästi vielä kovasti ja tarvitsi kävelyn aikana paljon taukoja ihmetellä tilannetta. Hän etsiikin kotia, jossa ymmärretään ujon koiran sielunelämää ja annetaan hänelle aikaa tottua uusiin tilanteisiin omaan tahtiin. Rafiki on tarhalla asunut nartun kaverina ja on kaksikosta se, joka väistää jos sanomista tulee. Rafiki on tarhalla kova haukkumaan aidalla ja aiemmin asuessaan vielä kaduilla hän jahtasi mm. pyöriä ja moottoripyöriä. Tästä johtuen hänelle etsitään kotia hyvin rauhalliselta alueelta maaseudulta.

Size
Extra large
Age
Location
🇫🇮Helsinki
Shelter
Embla Rescue
Living with Rafiki
  • Vaccinated
  • Neutered
  • Microchipped
Cared for by Embla Rescue · HelsinkiLearn about Mixed Breed

Listed 4 months ago

Bringing Rafiki home

What you'll need for Rafiki in week one.

Hand-picked · prices indicative

  1. 01
    Required by most shelters

    Trixie Transport Box

    Sturdy plastic carrier — what most shelters require for pickup.

    View on Amazon
    €35–45
  2. 02
    Editor's pick

    Folding Wire Crate

    First-week safe space. Shelter dogs settle faster with a crate.

    View on Amazon
    €50–80
  3. 03
    Legal · EU

    Car Seatbelt Tether

    Legally required in most EU countries for transporting dogs.

    View on Amazon
    €8–12
  4. 04

    Adaptil Calming Spray

    Dog-specific pheromone diffuser. Worth it for the trip home.

    View on Amazon
    €18–25
  5. 05

    Orthopaedic Dog Bed

    Worth the upgrade — rescues often have joint issues from kennels.

    View on Amazon
    €30–60
  6. 06
    Safer than a collar

    Padded Y-Front Harness

    Escape-proof for spooky rescues. Safer than a collar in week one.

    View on Amazon
    €20–35

§ Affiliate links · TailHarbor earns a small commission, no extra cost to you.

About Rafiki

What life with Rafiki looks like

Rafiki is a extra-large adult mixed breed dog waiting at Embla Rescue in Helsinki.

An adult dog fits most household rhythms once the first couple of weeks of adjustment pass. A larger dog like this one needs daily off-leash time when possible — a fenced yard or regular access to safe walking trails. Plan a "decompression fortnight" — quiet routine, no visitors, no off-leash adventures — to let them settle.

🇫🇮Adopting from Finland

Finnish shelters require a home visit and an adoption contract. Animals are vetted; the EU pet passport covers cross-border travel within the bloc.

Helsinki, Finland browse more dogs in Finland.

Frequently asked

Adopting Rafiki, answered.

How do I contact the shelter about Rafiki?
Use the phone, email, or website link in the sidebar of this page. Embla Rescue handles screening and the adoption contract directly — TailHarbor doesn't broker the conversation. When you reach out, mention you saw Rafiki on TailHarbor so they know which animal you're asking about.
Can I adopt Rafiki if I live in another country?
Yes, in most cases. Rescues across Europe routinely place animals abroad — Embla Rescue will tell you what they need (EU pet passport, rabies titer, transport coordination) and whether they handle transport themselves or refer you to a partner. Plan for an extra €100–€350 in transport costs depending on distance.
Is Rafiki already vetted, vaccinated, and chipped?
Most dogs on TailHarbor leave their shelter with sterilization, current vaccinations, microchip ID, and an EU pet passport included in the adoption fee. The vet status on this page reflects what the shelter has reported — ask them directly if you need details on specific vaccines, recent bloodwork, or chronic conditions.
What happens if Rafiki isn't the right fit?
Every reputable rescue accepts an animal back if the adoption genuinely doesn't work — that's part of the standard contract. Talk it through with Embla Rescue early rather than rehoming privately; they know Rafiki and can place them more successfully than a second-hand listing can.
Why does the description sometimes read awkwardly?
TailHarbor translates shelter descriptions into English from the source language (FI). Translation is imperfect — names of streets, donors, and shelter-specific terms occasionally slip through unidiomatically. For the cleanest read, click the source link to see the shelter's original page.
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