In order to be happy and healthy, all puppies need to feel unconditionally loved and cared for. Our sweet fur babies believe that we will always stay by their side, cuddling them and making them feel safe.
Prince, a little three-month-old puppy, needed to feel safe and cherished, too. He wanted his owners to shower him with love and care.
Sadly, the sweet fur baby was neglected his whole life. His humans failed him.
When he ended up getting sick, his parents rejected him and dumped him. He was taken in by a high-kill shelter in Fresno, California.
Covered in mange and battling with infections, the little puppy was lying in his kennel. Feeling hurt and let down, he needed someone to believe in him and give him love.
The Puppy Needs His Hero
In April of 2018, Neda Saghafi, the founder of Simba’s Paw Dog Rescue, was tagged in a Facebook post about the little fur baby.
After she read his story and saw a photo of him sitting down with the saddest look on his face, her heart sank. Saghafi decided to foster him.
The puppy was covered in mange and sprayed with mysterious paint.
“At first, I thought it was spray paint, and kids spray-painted him or something like that. Also, when people get puppies for bait dogs, they spray them different colors so they can make bets on them — so that’s another thing that popped into my head,” Saghafi told The Dodo.
Saghafi went to the shelter and picked him up. When she met him for the first time and looked at his adorable, green, sad eyes, Saghafi melted. The pup looked confused and frightened.
Saghafi was resolved to help him become the happy pup he was always supposed to be. She named him Prince.
The Precious Pup Gets The Care He Needed
She took him to the vet and Prince had a thorough medical checkup.
The vet believed that the mysterious paint was an old-school medication that is used to treat infections on farm animals.
Still, Saghafi thought it was strange that Prince’s whole body wasn’t sprayed with the mysterious dye. He had random lines of paint on his body and a cross sprayed on his forehead.
The Best Foster Home
Saghafi brought Prince home. She couldn’t wait to see him recover and regain the spark in his eyes.
“He had demodex mange, and he had a secondary skin infection. He was covered in scabs… If you touched him, it was like you were touching a lizard or snake. He was one of the worst mange cases I’ve ever taken in, and I’ve taken in a lot of mange puppies,” Saghafi added.
The unusual purple paint was difficult to wash off, and Saghafi realized that it would disappear after his fur grew back.
Saghafi pampered Prince with care and gave him the love he missed his entire life. She fell in love with the pup. She often called him Chicken Nugget.
Gradually, the pup began recovering and letting go of his fears. Saghafi rejoiced at watching him thrive. His fur grew back and Prince blossomed into a handsome and happy boi.
Prince loved cuddling with his foster mom. Whenever she would hold him in his arms, the pup would shower her with his adorable kisses.
In June of 2018, Saghafi learned that a puppy was found in the same area as Prince.
The other fur baby was deaf and she was also suffering from mange. After Saghafi saw the pup, she noticed that she looked similar to Prince. She believed that the fur baby was Prince’s sister.
A kind family cared for her, but the puppy lived in a boarding facility. Saghafi contacted the family and offered to foster the puppy.
Saghafi took the fur baby, named Cleo, home. Prince was overjoyed to be reunited with his sister. The two siblings loved each other.
They enjoyed playing together all the time. Since Cleo was deaf, she followed her brother everywhere.
After both puppies made a full recovery, it was time for them to find forever homes.
A Happy Ending
Saghafi loved Prince deeply. She wanted to keep him forever, but she knew that she needed to continue fostering other pups who needed her. She was sure that Prince would find his perfect forever home.
That was exactly what happened. Both Prince and Cleo found wonderful families who promised to love them forever.
The pups were over the moon because they got their happily-ever-after.
Prince has his own Instagram, and he occasionally posts updates about his life in California. The adorable dog loves cuddling with his family. His parents make him feel safe and adored.