A dog named Brutus has captured the hearts of thousands online after being rescued while covered in porcupine quills — yet showing nothing but love for the people who came to help him.
Rescuers from the Paws Up Program (PUP) found Brutus with dozens of sharp quills embedded deep in his face, the result of a painful encounter with a porcupine. These rodents can carry up to 30,000 barbed quills, which latch onto predators and burrow deeper into the skin over time. Left untreated, the quills can lead to serious infections or even migrate to vital organs, according to veterinary experts.
For Brutus, the situation was urgent — he was at risk of losing an eye.
PUP’s Duncan Bard told Newsweek that the Edmonton-based charity was called in to help after Brutus’ owners realized they could not afford the costly veterinary treatment. Despite the excruciating pain he must have been in, Brutus surprised his rescuers with his gentle spirit.
“When we arrived, he just lay down and wagged his tail, like he knew we were there to help,” Bard recalled.
On August 9, PUP shared a TikTok video (@pawsupprogram) of the heartwarming moment Brutus greeted his rescuers. The clip’s caption read: “Tail still wagging and excited to see me. He knows he is going to get help.”
The group later added: “No words. This one was hard to see. This sweet boy is resilient.”