South Carolina Kayaker About To Enter The Water Finds 4 Unusual Mud Balls
There are few things more heart-wrenching than seeing an animal in distress. As someone who’s naturally empathetic, I often find my heart breaking for creatures struggling to survive.
While we can’t rescue every animal, there are kind-hearted humans who make it their mission to do so.
One such person is a woman from South Carolina, a passionate kayaker and lifelong animal lover, who one day noticed something unusual on the shore of Lake Thurmond.
The woman had paddled the lake countless times before, but on that day, she spotted something that stopped her in her tracks: four odd, pinkish mud balls scattered along the shoreline.
As she got closer, the truth became painfully clear—the “mud balls” were alive. Tiny legs twitched, and heads moved weakly. She realized they were four newborn puppies, barely clinging to life, missing most of their fur, and visibly terrified.
Her heart immediately went out to the little ones. Without hesitation, she scooped them up one by one, placing them carefully into a plastic container in her car, and drove them straight to the nearest animal rescue.
Though the puppies were shy and scared, they seemed to sense they were finally safe.
At Final Victory Animal Rescue in South Carolina, the staff were shocked by the puppies’ condition. Leslie Rider Osmanski, the shelter’s medical manager and foster coordinator, described the arrival in an interview:
“All four puppies were very emaciated and covered in Demodex mange. Their Demodex mange was so severe that they were almost completely hairless.”
The rescue team affectionately nicknamed them the “Water’s Edge Puppies” and immediately began their treatment.
The puppies received medical baths and topical medications to treat their mange, a parasitic skin disease common in dogs with immature immune systems. Thankfully, none of the pups had major health issues or needed surgery.
What they needed most was love, attention, and gentle care—things the staff provided in abundance. Slowly but surely, Kayak, Canoe, Paddle Board, and Raft began to transform before everyone’s eyes.
Though no one could determine exactly how the puppies ended up on Lake Thurmond, the consensus was heartbreaking: they had likely been abandoned by their previous owner.
Luckily, thanks to a compassionate rescuer, their lives took a dramatic turn for the better.
Today, all four pups have found their forever homes. Final Victory Animal Rescue shared the joyful news on Facebook:
“Canoe is now known as Evie and lives in Pennsylvania. She ADORES her human brother! Kayak was renamed Worthy and rocked the long road trip with her new family to her home all the way in Washington State! She even got to visit Mt. Rushmore on her journey. Paddle Board is now known as Dobby and is living the good life in Massachusetts. Raft goes by Pudge now and is here in South Carolina with his 3 new fur siblings.”
From tiny, frightened, hairless babies on the shore to thriving, happy pups in loving homes, the transformation of these four dogs is nothing short of inspiring.
Each one now enjoys warmth, comfort, and the companionship of devoted families. Their story is a powerful reminder of how compassion, quick action, and human kindness can completely change the life of an animal in need.
