If you have ever touched a porcupine, you know how much pain their quills can cause. But, can you imagine your face being covered with them?
Unfortunately, a stray German Shepherd can, as his muzzle was filled with porcupine quills, which completely transformed his look and caused excruciating pain.
All the pain and discomfort the poor doggo felt could be seen in his eyes, as he looked terrified when the rescuer approached him.
The Face Full Of Quills And Fear
Brady Oliveira is a professional athlete from Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada, who several years ago, chose to spend the majority of his free time rescuing pooches.
Oliveira has been a dog enthusiast for a long time, according to a video from The Dodo, and as soon as he had a chance, he started saving those adorable creatures from inhumane conditions and placing them in rescues for adoption.
One of those pooches is a stray German Shepherd that Oliveira saved in Winnipeg. After receiving a call, he immediately went to the dock where the dog was seen.
As he told The Dodo, the German Shepherd was so terrified of him in the beginning that he ran away every time Oliveira tried to approach him.
His fear wasn’t the result of quills stuck in his muzzle, as one of the locals told him, but the cruelty of an unknown person who hit the doggo over his head.
Fortunately, Oliveira had plenty of patience for the poor GSD and spent some time trying to win him over before putting him into a crate, as he described in an Instagram post:
“We hung out for a bit & he slowly started to trust me!! Was that ever an amazing feeling. All he wanted was some loving & to know that a “hand” doesn’t mean violence, but means love!”
Second Chance At Life
Oliveira wanted to do as much as he could for the pooch, so he took him straight to the vet to get the quills out of the dog’s muzzle.
He did the right thing, considering that “[…] the quills carry bacteria with them. Once they penetrate the skin, they can serve as a source of infection and abscesses.” [1]
After the treatment, Oliveira took his new buddy to the Winnipeg Humane Society where he was put up for adoption.
The GSD, named Garrett by the Humane Society’s staff, was so happy to hear his rescuer’s voice and spend some time with him that he even smiled a few times.
Eight months later, the two buddies met again, as Oliveira came to visit the doggo’s new home. His owners gave him a new name, “Buddy”, which Oliviera found perfect for this adorable pooch.
Buddy seems to enjoy his life to the fullest, living with a family that takes proper care of him and showers him with love and affection that he truly deserves.
References:
Weir Malcolm. “Porcupine Quills in Dogs and Their Dangers.” Retrieved on May 31,2023 from https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/porcupine-quills-in-dogs-and-their-dangers
