He has a new lease on life ❤️
By Sarah Ashley
Published on Oct 3, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Last weekend, a 15-year-old miniature schnauzer hobbled down a busy road in Cape Town, South Africa. The tiny dog’s cataracts blurred his vision, so when a stranger tried to pick him up, he bristled.
The stranger, a local named Tim Shaw, had been driving to the coast with a friend to go surfing when they saw the dog darting between cars.
Shaw pulled over and tried — unsuccessfully — to wrangle the pup. He asked the many day laborers in the area if anyone recognized the schnauzer. They didn’t, but agreed to keep the pup out of the road while Shaw rushed home for supplies to catch the dog.
Several hours and many angry nips later, Shaw arrived home with the dog wrapped in a nightgown in a laundry basket. The miniature schnauzer scarfed down a can of dog food while Shaw gave him plenty of space to decompress.
“He was not interested in touch,” Shaw told The Dodo. “I kind of just sang to him, actually … I just started kind of talking to him, and he kept trying to bite me, but then the bite would get a little bit less vicious.”
The dog’s fur hung off him in thick chunks, which Shaw compared to dreadlocks. “I had dreads,” Shaw laughed. “I know how long it takes to grow a good set of locks.”
By moving slowly and gently, Shaw earned a bit of trust and managed to trim back the matted fur over the course of an afternoon.
“He walked around … prancing like a little show pony,” Shaw said. “As if he could finally, finally feel his weight and not the weight of all that other crap he’d been carrying.”
While grooming, Shaw also uncovered and removed a wire wrapped tightly around one leg, which must have caused the dog significant pain.
The next day during a vet visit, staff informed Shaw that the dog suffered from debilitating arthritis. He also had a microchip — and a family who’d been missing him for 13 years.
Back in 2012, Karnallie the miniature schnauzer was stolen from his home. His family searched for him desperately for six months. Grief-stricken, they ended up adopting three other dogs over the years and were, sadly, unable to take Karnallie back after he turned up in 2025.
Shaw didn’t bat an eye. Karnallie could live with him.
First, Karnallie, now named Rufus, spent several days at the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa (AWS) for observation.
Nursing staff treated his wounds, administered medication for his arthritis and completed a variety of other overdue medical treatments.
Rufus needs a special diet and medication for the rest of his life, and Shaw is more than ready to provide those. He recognizes that Rufus, like everyone, comes with a little baggage and deserves a second lease on life.
“For me, all of this is just God’s creation,” Shaw said. “And if I look at all the things that I’ve been rescued from, it’s really just in response to that.”
Since arriving at his new home, Rufus has been resting up and moseying through Shaw’s garden. He still exhibits some discomfort with human touch, but Shaw understands that building trust takes time.
“He is the most wonderful little dude,” Shaw said. “And he’s home now.”
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They were thrown away like trash 🥺
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Mama Dog Desperately Tries To Reach Crying Puppy In The Next Shelter Kennel
She was desperate to get to him.
By Ashley Ortiz
When she first arrived at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter (TOHAS), rescue dog Paris mostly kept to herself. She had her own kennel, a standard part of the intake process, but even when other dogs passed by her, the downtrodden girl wouldn’t budge — until a crying puppy became her next-door neighbor.
Days after rescuing Paris, TOHAS took in six pit bull puppies rescued from an abusive home. Staff members placed one of the pups, Bruce Willis, in the kennel next to Paris’, and when he started screaming for his littermates, Paris immediately sprang into action.
It’s unclear exactly what Paris’ life was like before becoming a TOHAS resident, but one thing’s for sure: She’d had puppies before, and her mothering instincts never disappeared.
As soon as the puppy started crying, Paris ran to the kennel door and pressed her face against the opening, trying to pry her way to the wailing baby next to her. She could hardly see the puppy, even with her face smooshed against the bars, but his cries and scent told her everything she needed to know.
And, even though they’d never met, Bruce Willis seemed to feel instinctively comforted by Paris’ presence.
“You can even see the puppy (Bruce Willis) lean up against the kennel to be with her!” TOHAS wrote on Instagram.
You can watch that moment here:
A post shared by Never Losing Hope For TOHAS Shelter Dogs! (@neverlosinghope4tohas)
The staff’s hearts broke as they watched the mama dog desperately try to reach a helpless baby. They hadn’t yet tested Paris’ behavior with other dogs, but they decided to let her meet Bruce Willis anyway, and the two hit it off instantly.
“When we finally brought them together, THEY WERE SO HAPPY!” TOHAS wrote.
Paris and Bruce Willis became best friends and enjoyed playing together each day until both pups went off to foster homes. Sadly, Paris returned to the shelter less than two weeks later.
“[While] she is great overnight and absolutely loves human interaction … [she] does seem to pace around the house, and [her foster mom] has said, ‘It almost seems like, because she has been a [mama], she looks for her babies,’” TOHAS’ Alex Charalambous told The Dodo.
Paris’ motherly instincts are still as strong as ever, but luckily, she has many young pups at the shelter to dote on. One of Bruce Willis’ littermates, Brad Pitt, is still at the shelter, too — and his bond with Paris is just as strong as his brother’s.
The folks at TOHAS hope to see Paris in her forever home soon, one in which she will receive the structure and TLC she needs to thrive. Until then, they’ll keep loving their sweet mama dog and reminding the world how amazing she is.
“If you’re looking for a loving, playful dog who will bring joy and warmth to your home, Paris might be your perfect match!” TOHAS wrote.
To inquire about fostering or adopting Paris, you can contact the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter via email at adoption@hempsteadny.gov or call (516) 785-5220.
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