We recently received an urgent email from Samuel, who shared a photo of a small, injured puppy—likely no older than two months. The image showed the pup’s face covered in raw, exposed skin around the nose and eyes, suggesting a serious infection. The puppy was hiding under a shelf at a local factory, clearly in distress.
What stood out even more in the photo was the presence of a concerned mother dog nearby, watching over him. Samuel had captured a moment that was both heartbreaking and urgent.
Our volunteer Annie immediately headed to the location. When she arrived, she found several healthy puppies playing around the factory—siblings of the injured one. However, the puppy in need was nowhere in sight. After a thorough search, Annie and Samuel finally discovered him curled up away from the others. He was lethargic and visibly unwell, too weak to stand or move. They gently lifted him into a cardboard box and named him Bruno.
As they drove to the veterinary clinic, the severity of Bruno’s condition became even more evident. The smell from his infected wounds was overpowering, and dozens of ticks began crawling out of the box and onto the car’s interior. It was clear this little pup had been suffering for some time.
At the clinic, Bruno had to wait over an hour before being seen. During that time, they continued removing ticks—over 300 in total. Despite attempts to comfort him with food, Bruno showed no appetite. When they finally weighed him, he came in at just 5kg. Closer examination revealed thick discharge crusting over both eyes, and his ears were severely infected—raw, pus-filled, and possibly affecting his hearing.
Bruno is now under veterinary care, and we are doing everything possible to support his recovery. His condition is serious, but we’re hopeful with the right treatment and care, he’ll begin to heal. More updates on his progress will follow soon.