“I thought it was an incredible gesture.”
By Lily Feinn
Published on Sep 16, 2021 at 3:45 PM
Last week, Kayley Drewitt was walking a dog in Ely Country Park when she stumbled across a cardboard box in the grass. Drewitt runs The Animal Ark Pet Services and spends a lot of time outside with her clients’ dogs — but she’d never seen anything like this in the park before.
“I was curious at first,” Drewitt told The Dodo. “Once we had approached it and I read the message written on the side of it, I couldn’t believe it. I had never seen anything like that before.”
“I thought it was an incredible gesture,” she added. “Something really heartwarming.”

Written in Sharpie on the side of the box was a message reading: “I am too old to play with my favorite tennis balls now. But it would make me very happy to know that some younger doggies would have fun with them. Love from Jarvis.”

The dog Drewitt was walking didn’t need to read the message to know exactly what to do. He stuck his nose in the box and pulled out a ball.
“We played fetch for quite a while [and] he tried out lots of different balls,” Drewitt said.

Drewitt was so touched by the sweet gesture that she snapped a few pictures of the box of donated balls and posted them on social media. “I wanted to thank [Jarvis’ owner] and make other dog owners aware of this lovely idea,” Drewitt said.
Her social media post quickly gained attention, and Jarvis’ mom reached out to let Drewitt know how happy seeing other dogs playing with the balls made her feel.
Jarvis, a cocker spaniel, is nearly 11 and has severe arthritis. He can’t play like he used to, but his mom knew he’d want someone to enjoy his beloved tennis balls.

Jarvis may no longer be able to chase balls, but the senior pup still loves to socialize and will get a special surprise on his next trip to the park.
“We have agreed to meet up for a dog walk sometime soon,” Drewitt said, “so Jarvis can meet some of the younger dogs now benefiting from all the balls he’s gifted.”
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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:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DFef6zns7xr/embed/?cr=1&v=14&wp=810&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedodo.com&rp=%2Fdaily-dodo%2Fmama-dog-desperately-tries-to-reach-crying-puppy-in-the-next-shelter-kennel#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A19822.19999998808%2C%22ls%22%3A18788.80000001192%2C%22le%22%3A19818.69999998808%7D
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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