As Golan Shoshan and his girlfriend prepared to leave Bali after three years abroad, they never imagined their journey home would be delayed by a set of soulful eyes and a wagging tail.
Just three weeks before their flight back to Israel in December, a fierce storm swept through their village — and with it came an unexpected visitor. A small black dog, drenched and trembling, showed up on their doorstep.
“We had seen a lot of strays in Bali,” Golan told The Dodo. “But this felt different. Luna found us — we weren’t looking for a dog.”
The pup, later named Luna, had enormous eyes and a quiet presence that tugged at their hearts. Hoping she had a family nearby, the couple asked around. But what they learned was heartbreaking: Luna had been abandoned by locals just days before.
That was all the confirmation they needed.
“She had no one,” Golan said. “We just knew — she was meant to be with us.”
Though they’d never owned a pet before, Golan and his girlfriend made a snap decision: they wouldn’t leave Luna behind. They took her straight to the vet for a full checkup and a much-needed warm bath. Luckily, she was healthy — but the road ahead wouldn’t be easy.
Bringing Luna to Israel would be anything but straightforward. Not only do Israel and Indonesia lack diplomatic relations, but Bali has strict restrictions on animal travel due to rabies concerns.
Still, the couple was determined.
They arranged for Luna to be driven over 24 hours from Bali to Jakarta. From there, she would fly to Bangkok, Thailand, where she could be reunited with her new parents. The journey was long and stressful — Luna was terrified of both cars and planes — but when she finally saw Golan and his girlfriend again in Thailand, her tail wagged with joy.
“She bounced back almost immediately,” Golan said. “By the next day, she was back to her sweet self.”
Over the next month, the couple worked tirelessly to finalize Luna’s documents and coordinate the final leg of her trip. Eventually, the day came — Luna was cleared to fly to Tel Aviv.
“We played with her nonstop at the airport to make sure she’d sleep on the 12-hour flight,” Golan recalled. “She curled up on our laps. She was so calm — it was like she knew she was going home.”
And when they finally touched down in Israel, Luna was radiant.
“She was happier than ever,” Golan said. “We showered her with love — she finally had a home.”
Since then, Luna has been adjusting to her new life. She’s still shy around unfamiliar people, likely a product of her difficult past, but each day brings more confidence and joy.
“She’s incredibly smart,” Golan said. “She adores playing with other dogs — and with us.”
Adopting a dog was never part of their original plan, but now, Golan and his girlfriend can’t imagine life without Luna.
“She changed everything for us,” Golan said. “We just hope others realize how many incredible, loving dogs are still out there waiting to be rescued.”
His message is simple: “There are so many animals on the street — scared, alone, hungry. Give them a chance. They have so much love to give.”