Arizona Woman Finds A ‘Puppy’ Covered In Cacti, Then Stands Stunned When She Realizes What It Really Is
Rescue and adoption stories are always close to my heart. It’s truly amazing to witness kind people stepping up to help animals in need, giving them a second chance at life.
However, some stories, while heartwarming and inspiring, take surprising turns – just like this one.
It all began when Gwen Maxwell, a compassionate woman from Sun City West, Arizona, was working in her garden.
As she was looking around, something unusual caught her eye in one of the flower pots.
Intrigued, she went closer to see what it was and discovered a stray puppy, entirely covered in cacti. Gwen was left completely speechless…
The poor puppy was in agony, with sharp spines embedded in his skin, clearly in urgent need of help. Gwen knew she couldn’t move the pup by herself.
In a panic, she ran to a nearby golf course to find assistance. Luckily, two maintenance workers, Jose and Shawn, didn’t hesitate to help.
They quickly grabbed pliers and gloves and followed Gwen back to her backyard.
But when they saw the poor animal, they were immediately struck by a shocking realization – the seemingly helpless puppy wasn’t a dog at all!
Believe it or not, the animal needing help was a coyote pup, only a few weeks old. But the surprises didn’t end there.
While the men worked to assist the pup, Gwen spotted a pair of eyes watching them from the trees behind her house.
She assumed it was the pup’s mother, waiting to be reunited with her baby. Gwen later explained in the video:
“She kept coming back and holding a vigil in my backyard.”
Meanwhile, Jose and Shawn carefully removed the cacti from the coyote’s head, shoulders, and paws.
What amazed them the most was how calm the coyote pup remained throughout the entire process.
He stayed still, almost as if he understood they were there to help him.
After they had removed the cacti, they checked the pup to ensure he was okay. Thankfully, despite some cuts on his skin, the little coyote appeared to be fine.
Before letting him go, Jose and Shawn took a few quick photos with the coyote pup to capture the memory of the incredible rescue.
Once they were done, they gently set the pup free. As soon as he realized he was safe, he dashed across the backyard and straight to his mother, who had been patiently waiting for him the entire time.
The reunion was incredibly touching. Gwen found it hard to fully process everything that had happened, but she was grateful that she acted quickly and got the help needed, no matter the animal involved.
This rescue mission was truly remarkable. I’m so grateful that these kind-hearted individuals stepped in to help an animal in need, even at the risk of their own safety.
Stories like this really renew my belief in the goodness of people.
