
23/07/2025
Hirotaka Saito, once a business owner, credits his pet with saving his life during a dark time. Twelve years ago, as he was preparing to leave his home to end his life, his dog blocked the door and refused to let him leave.
Inspired by this, Saito founded Wansfree Canine Rescue in Yaizu, Japan. To fund the project, he sold everything -including his luxury sports car- and built a facility where abandoned and aggressive dogs can roam freely. The shelter now houses 40 dogs and aims to grow to 300 by 2028 🥹