A Storm, a Stray, and a Journey Across the World — How Luna Found Her Forever Home
At the end of their three-year stay in Bali, Indonesia, Golan Shoshan and his girlfriend were busy packing for their move back to Israel when an unexpected visitor changed their plans entirely.
Three weeks before their departure, a heavy storm swept through their village — and in its aftermath, a small black dog with wide, soulful eyes appeared on their doorstep.
“Luna found us. We didn’t go looking for her,” Golan told The Dodo. “We both just had this gut feeling that she would be with us forever.”
After asking neighbors, they learned that Luna had been dumped by locals only days earlier. Though the couple had never owned a pet before — and certainly hadn’t planned to bring a dog halfway across the world — they knew they couldn’t leave her behind. They took her straight to the vet for a checkup and a warm bath.
That evening, they began researching how to get Luna home. The process was daunting. Indonesia and Israel have no diplomatic relations, and Bali has a strict ban on animals leaving the island due to rabies concerns. Still, they were determined.
Their plan involved transporting Luna by car for 24 hours from Bali to Jakarta, then flying her to Bangkok, Thailand, where she could reunite with them. The long trip was stressful for Luna, who was scared of car and air travel, but the moment she saw her new parents in Thailand, her tail wagged again.
From there, the couple spent weeks arranging Luna’s documentation for the final leg of her journey. At last, they boarded a 12-hour flight to Israel together. “She was such a good girl,” Golan said. “We played with her all day so she could sleep well on the plane.”
When Luna finally stepped paw into her new home in Tel Aviv, her joy was unmistakable. “We gave her lots of love, and she felt at ease,” Golan said.
Months later, Luna is thriving. While she’s still overcoming her fear of people, she’s gaining confidence daily, playing with other dogs, and showering her owners with affection.
Looking back, Golan and his girlfriend can’t imagine life without her. “There are so many adorable, loving street dogs who need adoption,” Golan said. “Save them — they deserve a chance at life and love.”