Heart of Paws - Portugal

07/09/2026

Hi.
Im an old boy who was lost on the street and a car hit me on the way by. My should got dislocated and now my tummy is swelling up and I’m nauseous and afraid.

A lady in a big scary truck stopped next to me and I tried to run away but I couldn’t. I fell a few times while the lady came closer and closer.

I finally stopped from the pain and effort and let her come near. She tried to give me water but I can’t drink any right now.

She picked me up - ouch - and put me in that big truck and now Im at a place where she says they will make me feel better - I am not so sure.

I forgive the car who hit me and hope I feel better soon. I am so tired.

- We are currently naming him Rex. We have asked Climvet to check him and see what needs to be done. We hope the community can help up recognize his owner and/or help with the funding for X-rays and potential treatment.

We will keep everyone posted on his progress.
Poor boy. Its clear he has spent a good deal if his life in a collar tied to something.
Call Danielle if you can help or have information:

Danielle 911 143 128

UPDATE:

We named him Rex and sadly his injuries were too much for his little body.

The vet and we decided the most humane option was to gently say goodbye. I held him forehead to forehead as he had quickly learned to trust me. The life left him softly and he was off running in the fields of grass and sunshine with many many friends.

The vet did not have room to cremate his body and asked us to take him. They packaged his body in a box and brought it to my my truck. My first reaction was how incredibly cold for such a gentle soul but what else could they do.

I drove far out into nature and found a lovely place with a wonderful view of the sunset each day. I took his body out of the box - he seemed half the size that he was originally - and gently laid him in the tall grass where he waited for me to prepare him final resting place crying every second of it for the pain he endured and unknown life he had known before. From the looks of all the missing fur around his neck, it was not a life of running and jumping.

Another baby at rest. Sometimes this is the best we can do.

A giant thank you to Lane Eggers - a member of our community - who not only helped with the initial rescue but offered a generous donation towards the vet bill. Heart of Paws is completely supported by the community and your willingness to help us with the bills and each soul we help.

💫

14/07/2025

"Just a generation ago if you went near a dog when he was eating and the dog growled, somebody would say, 'Don't go near the dog when he's eating!, what are you crazy?' Now the dog gets euthanized.

Back then, dogs were allowed to say, NO. Dogs are not allowed to say no anymore...

They can't get freaked out, they can't be afraid, they can never signal 'I'd rather not.'

We don't have any kind of nuance with regard to dogs expressing that they are uncomfortable, afraid, angry, or in pain, worried, or upset.

If the dog is anything other than completely sunny and goofy every second, he goes from a nice dog to an 'AGGRESSIVE' dog." Jean Donaldson

10/07/2025

08/07/2025

Found, saved, rescued and now in new home!! Success!!

08/07/2025

01/07/2025

Pretty much says it all… well, almost because it doesn’t say how they save us.

26/06/2025

LITTLE WOLF girl UPDATE:

* Even if you cannot help Loba, please share. You never know whose heart she will touch *

Hi, my name is Loba right now. I don’t know what happened but I was so hot and hadn’t had any food for so long that I started walking the streets to find some help. I started to have a heat stroke and walked into a few cars blasting their horns at me as they raced by. I was so confused …. It was really hot.

A big truck stopped near me but I didnt want to get hurt so I ran away from it. A lady jumped out and came towards me but I was afraid, weak and confused, so I turned away. She seems unsure about me… I don’t bite but she didn’t know.

I walked further in the streets but my legs were heavy and I was falling down. The lady ran ahead of me and put a bowl of water down and stepped away. I drank and drank and drank… I wanted to dive into that water.

She ultimately stopped follwing me and became more agressive about getting to me and when she got me, I gave in. I was too hot and delirious.

I rode in a car to a vet office which was really scary, loud and closed in with lots of dogs barking. The lady came back for me the next day and the vet said I was just severely dehydrated and malnourished but was healthy otherwise.

I am now with a foster mom who has cats and is teaching me to walk on a rope. I think she justs wants me to walk slow like her because I can run and have fun like the wind if I were healthy. But Im getting stronger everyday and its nice to be in a safe place with someone stroking my face. I really like that.

I would love to be cared for. I love being outside so space is important. I do not think I would be well in an apartment. My heart is in nature.

- Even if you cannot help Loba, please share. You never know ehose heart she will touch.

Call: 911 143 128 if you can help.

———————-

The little wolf mix girl - we are calling her Loba - we found staggering in the streets of Golega, starving, dehydrated, and falling into passing cars has been on the repair for a week.

She is comfortably in a very temporary foster home near Tomar where she is getting stronger and healtheir.

What we know:

- She likes to sleep on blankets and cushions.

- She is good with other dogs and cats.

- She is not very experienced walking on a leash, but is learning.

- She is about 8 years old.

- She is smaller than she appears in previous photos and videos.

- We do not think she is sterilized (cannot find a scar) but Heart of Paws will pay for the procedure when she finds her forever home.

17/06/2025

UPDATED JUNE 24 (see below)

Found lost, dehydrated and confused.

This poor girl was found stumbling in the middle of the roadways, confused, extremely hot and disoriented.

She was walking in circles and almost completely unaware of what was going on around her.

We spent three hours following her and trying to catch her gently. We werr able to place a bowl of water in front of her trajectory which she found and drank deeply. At one point she walked into a retention pond and just swam in circles bumping into logs and debris.

Finally when she came out we were more aggressive with our approach and caught her along the edge. She gave in and seemed relieved to do so. She let me pick her up and take her to a cool place.

A wonderful Portuguese man named Miguel had pulled his car over and helped me the whole time.

After a thousand calls to everyone (GNR, All the animal associations (no answers), mutliple vets, finally the only vet who would help was Climvet in Tomar where we took her yesterday. At first we thought she might have been hit by a car or had some neurological problem but after a calm night sleep in a cool soace, lots of water and food gently eaten from my hand, the vet says she is fine today!!!!! excellent news.

What we know and think:

She is not chipped
She seems to be a cross between a dog and a wolf and while she is a little afraid and wary of people she is no stranger to them.

Looking for help. Ideas? Sanctuary for this little girl.

More videos coming in the comments.

UPDATE:
June 24

After a few days at the vet and a stay with a couple foster Moms, she is doing great. Obviously malnourished, possibly 8 years old. Very sweet and loves attention.
Kind with other dogs and does not react to cats. Good girl!

So now we are searching for her forever home.

14/11/2024

RUSTY UPDATE!!!! ADOPTED!

Little Rusty has found his forever home and is already cruising the town in his new harness, all tucked in at night nice and warm with a full belly - ALL THANKS TO YOU ALL FOR SHARING OUR POSTS.

Rusty’s new people saw the post and marched themselves straight to the vet and said they absolutely wanted Rusty.

These are 5-star pet owners, Portuguese couple from Lisbon who recently moved to Tomar. They live in a lovely home and Rusty is already settling in nicely.

A perfect ending…. All because we all took just a minute to help. Thank you thank you.