From Hope to Prince: The Injured Dog Who Was Given a Second Chance

Written by Stephan Hendricks, Founder of No More Tears Animal Rescue

Professional photography by Blissful Tails 

When a badly injured little black-and-tan dog was found in Witfontein, Gauteng, nobody knew his name. Nobody knew where he’d come from, how long he’d been wandering, or exactly what had happened to him. All they knew was that he was hurt – and he desperately needed help.

The power of hope

The small Dobermann Pinscher-cross was taken in by a compassionate family who kept him safe overnight before No More Tears Animal Rescue could take over his care.

Painful wounds crossed his body – likely caused by an attack from another animal. But despite everything he’d clearly been through, there was something about him that suggested he hadn’t completely given up.

His rescuers named him Hope – because at that moment, hope was really all he had.

A healing journey

The immediate concern was that Hope needed urgent veterinary treatment. He was taken to Rand & Dal Animal Hospital, where his injuries were assessed and treated. Given the severity of his injuries, there was relief when he was stable and could eventually be discharged.

But Hope’s journey wasn’t over. His physical wounds would take time to heal, but rescuers were equally concerned about the wounds that couldn’t be seen. After trauma, neglect, fear and uncertainty, Hope needed somewhere quiet and safe where he could begin trusting people again.

That’s when Penny Heuer stepped forward. She opened her home to him as a foster, offering something just as important as medicine: patience, a soft place to sleep, gentle hands, regular meals and the chance to discover that not every human being would hurt him.

Instead of having to recover in a noisy kennel environment, Hope could heal in a home where his individual needs could receive the attention they deserved.

How strangers stepped up

Hope’s treatment was also made possible through the kindness of people who followed his story and contributed towards his veterinary expenses. Among those who stepped forward was Pierre from Pierre Eco Health, whose generous contribution towards Hope’s vet account helped ensure that his medical care could continue at a time when it was urgently needed.

For rescuers, support like this can make the difference between being able to say yes to an injured animal or having to turn them away.

But Hope’s story was destined to become about far more than wounds and veterinary bills.

A new chapter

As the days passed, the frightened and injured little dog began a new chapter – and with that new chapter came a new name: Prince

The name Hope had represented what rescuers wished for him when he first arrived – the possibility that he could survive, recover and one day know a better life. Prince represented what came next: a dog who had people fighting for him, cared whether he was comfortable, noticed when he was afraid, celebrated every small step forward and believed his past didn’t define the rest of his life.

Prince’s story is one familiar to animal rescue organisations across South Africa – behind every photograph shared online there’s often an animal whose history will never be fully known. But, although we may never discover where Prince came from, exactly how he sustained his injuries, how long he’d suffered, or whether somebody once called him by another name, we do know what happened after he was found: people cared.

From the family that offered him shelter for the night, the rescue organisation that agreed to take responsibility for him and the vets who treated him, to the donors who helped cover his medical expenses and the foster who opened her door – one act of kindness followed another.

And so an injured dog who arrived with nothing but hope was given the opportunity to become a prince.

It starts with caring

Stories like his are a reminder of why rescue work continues despite the financial pressure, emotional exhaustion and constant stream of animals needing assistance. Sometimes it begins with something incredibly simple: one person deciding not to look away.

Prince still carries the story of what happened to him but, today, he’s more than just an injured little dog. He’s Prince – and his life is a reminder that sometimes a second chance begins with a stranger stopping, a community caring and someone choosing to believe that an animal’s story isn’t finished yet.

Thanks to those who refused to walk away, Prince now has the chance to write the next part of that story.

MY LITTLE PRINCE

Written by Penelope Heuer, Prince’s foster and adopter

Professional photography BlissfulTails 

No More Tears saw a little body that looked dead lying on the side of the road in Randfontein. Stephan and his team never leave a soul without a dignified ending, so they stopped to pick him up and he moved. But he was alive – and badly injured. They raced him to the Randfontein Dierehospitaal veterinarian, where they started treating him. 

He looked like he was in so much pain. I offered to foster him and spoke to my own personal vet about paying off the bill as I know that No More Tears struggle with their vet bill and I couldn’t understand his treatment process, where the wound was left open.

They brought him to me on the 14^th of February – “my little Valentine love bug”. His name at the time was Hope. The wound was so enormous and horrendous that I didn’t actually think I could work with it. I’m not one who handles an injured dog easily as I’m petrified of hurting them more.

On Sunday the 15^th of February, my vet – who’s not an emergency vet – agreed that I could bring Hope in. They cleaned the wound, put him on a drip and gave him painkillers. We booked him for surgery the following morning. Dr Justina Allison from Boskruin Veterinary Clinic did an amazing job stitching him up and he came home the very same day. 

Now the recovery started – and it wasn’t guaranteed the stitches would hold due to the severity of the wound. He also needed to have his drains cleaned and bandages changed every day.

Then I realised I was in for a huge vet bill. I didn’t actually know what to do, as our business has been through a really rough six years and I had only a few Rands in my bank account. I wrote to radio stations and any media platform I could to try and raise funds. HOT 102.7FM radio station, which partners with Silverstar Casino, kindly came to our rescue and paid his vet bill of R25,000 – which truly was a miracle.

His healing, too, was miraculous, and his will to live so beautiful. Of course, Prince is a total foster fail – and a mommy’s boy. Over time, I’ve called him “my little Prince”, so he’s Prince Hope now because he’s an absolute legend.

However, Prince suffers with terrible separation anxiety – to be expected after the severity of the wounds and his journey. His anxiety is so bad that he ate the putty out of a window, pushed the glass out and escaped. My vet has prescribed an anti-anxiety medication that seems to help.

Prince is a little Legend and we absolutely adore him.  

You can help support No More Tears Animal Rescue

No More Tears Animal Rescue relies on public support to assist animals like Prince with emergency veterinary treatment, rehabilitation, foster care and ongoing rescue work.

Donations can be made to:

No More Tears Animal Rescue
FNB Cheque Account
Account number: 62890134233
Branch code: 250341

Yoco:
https://pay.yoco.com/nomoretears

Debit orders:
https://nomoretears.org.za/debit-order/

Donations towards veterinary treatment can also be paid directly to participating veterinary practices when specific rescue cases require assistance.