Everything we've built so far
From a burnt-out move across the Atlantic to a working clinic partnership — the honest, year-by-year record of how Pets and Passports came to be.
How we got here
No overnight success — just steady steps, each one building on the last.
- 2021Our story
We left New Hampshire
Burnt out and curious, Nastya and Tony sold their life in the US and moved to Europe with their rescue dog, Sage.
- 2021On the road
Leipzig, then the open road
Germany was meant to be home base. When residency proved complicated, we set off to find our place in Europe — with Sage in the back seat.
- 2023Building
We chose Sarandë
Palm trees, an Ionian view, and a community that values real human connection. We opened businesses, gained residency, and put down roots.
- 2024Rescue
Pets and Passports begins
Surrounded by the town's strays, we started helping — first one dog, then another — alongside Saranda Paws Vet Clinic.
- 2025Rescue
A clinic partnership that works
Sponsored surgeries, vaccinations, and spay & neuter campaigns. Supporters began funding specific animals by name.
- 2026Building
One home for the whole mission
This site — bringing rescue, education, pet-travel consulting, and the guide together so the work can grow and sustain itself.
A small operation, run honestly
Built to sustain itself
Charity that depends on one good month doesn’t last. So we’re building Pets and Passports to stand on more than donations alone.
Rescue and education stay at the core. Around them, our pet-travel consulting and downloadable guide bring in revenue that funds the mission — every strategy call and every guide sold pays for food, vaccinations, and surgeries for the animals of Sarandë.
The goal is simple: reach a point where the work sustains itself, so no animal we could have helped goes without because the money ran out.
Grow this with us
We’re looking for sponsors and partners who want to fund a rescue that’s built to last. Let’s talk about what we can do together.