A Japanese Man Sold His Ferrari to Fund a Shelter for Dogs — All Because One Dog Once Saved Him From Taking His Own Life
There’s a reason people call dogs “man’s best friend.” For Hirotaka Saito, that phrase isn’t just sentimental — it’s literal. A dog once saved his life. And now, he’s spending the rest of it saving theirs.
Hirotaka Saito was once a wealthy Japanese businessman with everything that screams success on the outside — a thriving company, a luxurious lifestyle, and even a Ferrari in the garage. But inside, he was falling apart. Behind all that comfort was a man on the edge, quietly consumed by failure, loneliness, and pain. He had made up his mind one day to end it all. No one knew. No one was watching. No one, except his dog.
In a moment that still feels surreal to him, Saito’s large, gentle dog sensed something was wrong. The dog stood firmly in the doorway, blocking his exit — refusing to let him go. That one moment changed everything. He stood there, frozen, as the reality hit him: someone cared. Even if it wasn’t a person, it was still love. And sometimes, that’s all it takes. A quiet form of love to remind you that life might still be worth living.
Saito didn’t just change his mind that day. He changed his purpose. That dog didn’t just stop him from walking out the door — it opened a new one.
He sold his Ferrari. Closed down his business. Walked away from the race he had once thought he needed to win. And instead, he used the money to build a sanctuary — not for people, not for profit, but for the forgotten animals of society. He called it “Wansfree” — a shelter in Yaizu, Shizuoka Prefecture, dedicated to dogs that no one else wanted.
These aren’t your average pets. These are the dogs people often label as “unadoptable.” Aggressive. Abused. Broken. They’re the ones most shelters won’t take, because they’re too much work or too much risk. But to Saito, they are exactly the ones who need love the most — because he was once like them. Overwhelmed. Misunderstood. Abandoned by the world.
Today, Wansfree is home to over 40 dogs and 8 cats, all of them free-roaming without chains or cages. It’s not a typical shelter — it’s a safe haven. And Saito isn’t some distant founder who checks in occasionally. He lives there, full-time, caring for the animals himself. The work is brutal. The dogs come with trauma. Some bite. Some lash out. He’s been attacked multiple times, often wears double gloves to protect himself, and yet… he never complains. In fact, he smiles through it all. Because he knows what fear looks like. And he knows what healing takes.
He’s said it clearly: “When I realized that I was saved by a dog, I believed that what I could do is save dogs for the rest of my life… I will spend all my money on dogs… I want to let them know that they are loved.”
This isn’t just some publicity stunt or temporary charity project. He’s in it for the long haul. By 2028, he hopes to expand Wansfree to care for up to 300 dogs. That would make it one of the largest sanctuaries of its kind in Japan — and it’s built entirely on one man’s pain, gratitude, and unconditional love for animals that most people wouldn’t even look twice at.
Saito’s story went viral recently, not because of fame, but because of how deeply it resonates with people everywhere. At a time when so much of the world feels selfish, cold, or fake, his story cuts through all that noise. It’s real. It’s messy. It’s raw. And it’s beautiful. It reminds us that healing doesn’t always come from therapists or medication. Sometimes, it comes from fur, wet noses, and paws. Sometimes, it’s a wagging tail that brings you back to life.
People from around the world have begun supporting Wansfree, inspired not just by Saito’s sacrifices, but by the bond between human and dog that saved him. Donations are growing. Awareness is spreading. But Saito is still living humbly. He doesn’t have luxury cars anymore. He doesn’t want them. What he has now is peace — and purpose.
He believes every dog has a story. Every bark has a past. And every bite is a cry for help. And he’s willing to be there, one dog at a time, no matter how long it takes.
In a world chasing noise and money, Hirotaka Saito quietly chose love. And through his shelter, he’s proving that even the most broken souls — human or animal — deserve another chance.