Meet Roki

Roki's Story

Little Roki Road, Roki Balboa, or Roki-feller—depends on my mood and whether or not I’m yelling.

Roki came to us through the same rescuer who brought us Mero. He’s a fluffy little Maltipoo, barely eight kilos, but his story isn’t as soft as his fur. He originally lived with an elderly woman, first inside her home and then, as he grew, outside. She decided he should guard her garden and chickens, but she stopped feeding him. And, well, a hungry dog does what a hungry dog must. When he started hunting the very chickens he was meant to protect, she decided to shoot him. That’s when we were called in.

Roki’s rescue was traumatic for both him and my cousin, Travis. When Travis arrived, Roki was wearing a chain that outweighed him—so heavy that it left lasting damage. He’s blind in one eye now due to head trauma, and years of carrying that chain left him with chronic body soreness.

To get him into a crate, Travis had to loop a second chain through it and drag him in—because Roki, all eight kilos of him, was fighting like hell. And Roki has never forgiven him for it. Five years later, he still hates Travis. He will bite his ankles at every opportunity.

Roki is, in short, a tiny menace. He’s incredibly sweet when he wants to be, but he’s gotten grouchier as he’s aged, lost vision, and dealt with lingering pain. He’s not adoptable because if you touch him in the wrong spot, he’ll let you know with his teeth. He’s not a full-on attack dog, but he’s not afraid to warn you.

Despite all that, Roki is living his best life. He’s a full-time house dog, though he doesn’t come down to the farm (because, well, chickens). He gets groomed every eight weeks—muzzled, of course—and has miraculously found tolerant groomers in every country we’ve lived in. Our bond was sealed the first time I picked him up from the groomer—he decided I was his savior. Never mind that Travis literally saved his life—Roki hates him.

He used to sleep in bed with me, but if you move too much in your sleep, he’ll bite you in the nose. So now he has his own bed. Which he guards ferociously.

Roki will live out his life here at the sanctuary, going on walks, ruling the house, and ensuring Travis never knows peace.

Want to sponsor Roki? He’ll still bite Travis, but you’ll be his hero. ❤️