Abandoned Dog Covered in 100s of Cacti Needles Too Scared To Trust Rescuers, Until This Happened…
Natalie Hoage
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On Tuesday, February 6th, Stephanie Nisan, the founder of Animal Pad Dog Rescue in San Diego, California received a message about a dog who had been abandoned in the early morning hours during the middle of a storm so powerful that tornado warnings were being issued. The dog had been dumped from a car in the pouring rain and left on the side of the road. Unsure of what to do, the dog sat in the exact same spot for hours before wandering into a field filled with trash, tumbleweeds, and cactus. (See Video Below)
The rescuers spoke to a neighbor who saw what happened, and were warned that the dog was aggressive toward anyone who tried to help. The dog, who they named Prickly Pete, wouldn’t let anybody near him. Animal Control officers were called but gave up on trying to help him, and warned the rescuers to be careful.
A Three Hour Rescue in Tough Conditions
The field, which Stephanie referred to as “a godforsaken cactus-filled canyon”, was unforgiving and it was clear that Pete was injured. He held his paws up to show them that his foot pads were full of cacti needles. There was a large piece of cactus hanging from his hind leg, and he was shaking in pain. The rescuers were scratched and bleeding as well.
Pete wanted help, but was still confused and afraid. They tried over and over again to get near enough to put a leash on him unsuccessfully. It took three hours for the rescuers to gain Pete’s trust and get close enough to help the injured dog. Stephanie said, “The videos don’t show it, but Prickly Pete was not a nice guy when we met him. We respected him and he eventually knew that as much as he wanted to hate us, he wanted to be helped even more.”
Caring for the Injured Pup
When they finally got him to the rescue center and were able to assess him, they realized that he was covered in cacti needles, even on his face and tongue, “We had to sedate him to pull hundreds of cacti spikes out of his body, and as he became physically less prickly, his personality did too.” Stephanie joked, “To be fair, he did have a cactus stuck to his butt and we were absolutely making fun of him to his face (nicknamed him Cact-Ass), so I take responsibility for the rough start.”
Once he was cleaned up, fed, and feeling better, it was clear that Pete was really a sweet boy. Videos show him wagging his tail and giving Stephanie kisses and hugs.
A Sweet Update on Pete
After caring for Pete for a week, Stephanie shared an update about his progress on Instagram. Pete had clearly formed a very strong bond with Stephanie, and she said that he “is turning into quite the lover. Well, sort of. He is a 10/10 dog with me and no one else.”
Stephanie’s friend Katie is a dog trainer who works with dogs with similar behavior issues and is starting the process of working to get him socialized with others. The hope is for Pete to find someone he trusts who will foster him, with the end goal being adoption. Stephanie ends the update with, “I keep trying to tell him that more people equals more love, but he’s still not about it. Can’t blame him after what he’s been through, and that’s just the part we know. He’ll get there, I have no doubt, but for now, he’s happy and loved.”
Source: @theanimalpad
For more information about Prickly Pete or for more information about the Animal Pad Dog Rescue, you can visit their website.
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