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Dog instead of Ferrari: Hirotaka Saito renounced luxury items in favor of a rescue center for dogs. The reason for the change of life was a drastic experience with an animal lifesaver.
His own company and a Ferrari: Hirotaka Saito seemed to have made it. He had achieved many things that others had struggled for a long time to achieve. But then the wind changed, the streak of success broke and the now 54-year-old found himself in financial difficulties.
The situation worsened to such an extent that the Japanese man no longer saw any sense in life and tried to put an end to it. But it was not to be: As "20 Minuten" reports, his dog prevented Saito from leaving the house. The 70-kilogram four-legged friend blocked the door, preventing Saito from completing his plan.
This selfless act by his pet flipped a switch in Hirotaka Saito's mind: the Japanese man dedicated himself to a completely new task instead. He turned his sports car into money and used the proceeds to buy land. On it, he built a home that provides refuge for aggressive dogs.
"When I realized that a dog had saved me, I believed that what I could do was to save dogs for the rest of my life," Saito told the Japanese medium fnn.jp, explaining his new mission in life. He wants to spend all his money on dogs from now on, the Japanese man assured. "I want them to feel that they are loved."
The rescue center is called "Wansfree" and is located in Yaizu, which is in Shizuoka Prefecture. It is a refuge for animals that try to compensate for their trauma by displaying aggressive behavior such as barking, biting and growling after being mistreated.
Videos and pictures on the center's Instagram account allow people from all over the world to share in Saito's mission. "Only" 40 dogs are still living at "Wansfree", but the 54-year-old is already thinking much bigger: by 2028, his home should be able to accommodate up to 300 dogs. "I'm doing better than ever before. I am so grateful that I can experience this," says the Japanese man, who has found a new will to live thanks to his commitment.
