Hi there! My name is GILAS (Cherry) and here is a little info about me:Breed: Anatolian Shepherd mixAge: 3 yrsGender: FemaleWeight: 29kg/65 lbs (Will be closer to 60 pounds when I’m at my ideal weight)Height: 64 cmCountry of origin: Middle EastHighlight(s): Smart, loving, loyal, playful, gentle, calmBeing a smart, loving girl, my hope is to find a forever family soon and fill your life with warmth and goofy love.My eyes were once said to be as beautiful as sweet cherries by the kind people who fed me, and since 'Gilas' means Cherry in my language, that became my name.Once, ashop was my home and then a big yard with many furry friends. When the area was destroyed for construction, we were all moved to a local park. It was scary, but making new human and dog friends helped. Sadly, life became dangerous when a bad man came and hit us. While I managed to run and hide, my best friend was taken away by dog catchers. Waiting for her for days was the most heartbreaking moment of my life, but she never came back. Since losing my best friend, strangers can be a little frightening at first.Thankfully, a wonderful rescuer saw me hiding and brought me to a boarding house where I stayed for a long time, hoping for a home.On June 18, 2026 I was lucky to travel to Canada where I am now living happily in a foster home on Vancouver Island with a fenced yard and my little beagle foster sister!Calm and gentle by nature, I thrive on companionship and love to be included in my family’s daily life. Once trust is built, with a little patience, my loving and silly side shines through. A semi-active family that enjoys walks is what I am looking for. Most of all, I need patient humans. Give me a little time to trust you, and I promise to be your most devoted friend.Energy Level: ModerateI get along with:Dogs: YesCats: Not sure (According to her rescuer, she was good with cats, but in her foster home she showed prey-drive behavior toward a cat. She might need some time to learn.)Kids: UnknownFears:Loud noises like fireworks. A little cautious with strangers at first. Please be patient with me during my transition; with kindness, I warm up very quickly!Training:Leash skills: Yes. I walk nicely on leash. Please be prepared to continue training.House trained: in progress. Please be prepared to help me learn.Health notes:I have been spayed, vaccinated, and microchipped.My adoption fee is $800 CAD plus applicable taxes.Notes from foster: Gilas is a calm, gentle and delightfully goofy dog once she feels safe. She responds to deep-level trust, patience, positive reinforcement (we use lots of chicken!) and gentle guidance. She is fundamentally gentle, mild as milk, and is good with my small dog. She has an ability to bond deeply. Gilas is beginning to explore her new world with leash walks. She has been non-reactive to all dogs she meets and is getting to know the friendly neighbours who give her treats. We live in a quiet neighborhood and she spends much of her day lying quietly in the sun or shade in a state of relaxation; she is by nature calm. She is not a barker and is not destructive.Gilas has so far shown quite low energy but I expect when she is full comfortable and used to the car, parks, walking in different places, etc. that she will have moderate energy. She is generally more joyful and playful as each day passes, but she is not a high energy dog. She has a truly lovely personality and is strikingly beautiful to look at. She has the most endearing ways.As noted, she is gentle in the home, gentle with my small dog, and seeks love and peace. She can be easily spooked and prefers soft voices and slow movements until she knows she is safe, at which point her confidence grows quickly and her personality shines.She is crate trained and sleeps quietly in her crate at night. She is not an early riser and loves lazy mornings! She displays no separation anxiety or resource guarding. At this time, she is not keen on getting in the car and that is something we will work on, using chicken as a lure! Gilas has come a long way already in her short time with me in Parksville. A beautiful loving dog with the most gorgeous eyes and endearing sweet personality, she will be a wonderful calm companion for a loving family. Disclaimer: It is important for all applicants to visit our website, and read about Loved at Last Dog Rescue.Please Note: LALDR highly encourages adopters to research some local dog trainers before their dog arrives. Although a 1-on-1 trainer is often not needed, it is good to have someone in mind in case any problematic behaviours arise. Most bad behaviours can be modified if caught early enough, so make sure to nip undesirable behaviours in the bud before they become serious problems.Basic training should be taken seriously, but should not begin until your dog is well settled in - at least a couple of weeks. After you feel your new dog is relaxed and comfortable in their new home, check out training courses in your local area. Even basic beginner courses like those taught at a local pet store can have a huge benefit in helping your dog learn to socialize and get used to being in public situations, all with the added benefit of strengthening their bond with you.Normally, we will not approve adoptions to homes with children under 12 years of age. However if a dog has been determined to be good with children we will approve applicants with children 8 years or older. More information can be found on our website.The age and breed of a dog is usually an educated guess, so we are not able to guarantee the accuracy of age or breed of our dogs.Information included in the profile is provided to us from the international rescuer or local fosters. LALDR does not have access to overseas dogs and cannot always verify the accuracy of their descriptions. Every dog is an individual and can act differently in different situations based on the person adopting them and the environment in which they live.While most dogs find escorting passengers flying directly to Vancouver, some will find flights through Toronto or Montreal. In that case, additional fees will apply to fly your dog to Vancouver by cargo. Unaccompanied cargo costs within Canada range from $350 - $550 depending on the size of the dog. LALDR will be as transparent as possible with you regarding these costs. You will NOT be asked to pay a passenger fee on top of the cargo fee.[MID-EAST] *Vaccinations: Dogs from the Middle East are vaccinated for rabies, parvo, distemper, leptospirosis, adenovirus type 1 and para-influenza. Bordetella is not given, as that has not been a problem in the Middle East.[TURKEY] Dogs from Turkey receive a 4D SNAP test to include Leishmania, Heartworm, Ehrlichia, & Anaplasma, as well as Giardia, Parvo, Corona & Distemper.
