Heart of Paws - Portugal

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.

12/11/2024

Little Rusty is up and moving around great. Tail wagging and making friends at the vet. Today he comes out into a very temporary foster home. This little guy would make someone’s BEST companion.

10/11/2024

UPDATE: Project Rusty Little Rusty is expected to be released from the veterinarian Monday afternoon / possibly Tuesday. Heart of Paws is always looking for a forever home for our reacues and temporary fosters are equally valuable and highly hoped for. Does anyone have a warm place for Rusty to take it easy, get used to lots of pets, warmth and a steady supply of food while we diligently look for his forever home? Please remember that we know not everyone can actually help with these rescues but it takes nothing to share a post. You never know when a SHARE will land in front of t of the person who has been waiting for Rusty forever.

09/11/2024

Meet Rusty: Hi. I am a little guy with a big heart. I don’t have a home but live under parked cars for protection from the rain or hot sun. Whenever I see someone walk by I like to come out and say hello thinking maybe I can go on their journey with them, but people often have their own dogs and no room for me, but I join them for a few steps then go back to where I can shelter. Recently, a car came by and I wasn’t fast enough to get out of the way. Im really small so they probably didnt see me. The car hit my hips and dislocated my femur. Ive been in so much pain for so many days and couldnt walk, so I also could not find any food or water along the roadside. A nice lady cane by, petted me then came back with food and water - Gosh I was so grateful but anytime I moved it hurt so bad that I cried so I could not come out from under the car but she crawled under and pushed the food and water to me so I could eat. With all the rain I have been really cold so the food helped give me strength to wag my tail. Then the lady left and I was alone again. The next days she came back with a blanket, crawled under my car, wrapped me up and took me to a place where there were lots of animals who were in pain and being helped. They said I will be OK now and they scheduled me for surgery (whatever that means) but its suppose to make me better. For now I am warm and my belly is full. Thank you.