When I was a little girl, I spent most of my summer holidays ‘rescuing’ bees, lizards, or any other wildlife that came wandering around our backyard.
Fortunately, all these animals were perfectly happy and healthy and by ‘rescuing’ I mean that I would catch them, admire them, and set them free!
Growing up surrounded by all these animals, I quickly learned there is a huge community out there saving animals in need and it brought all these childhood memories right back.
Recently I’ve stumbled upon a heartwarming story about a woman who thought she was helping a stray dog puppy, so buckle up for some twists and turns!
Gwen Maxwell, from Sun City West in Arizona, was tending her garden one day when she noticed something unusual.
In one of her flower beds, a stray puppy found refuge from the scorching sun. However, what shocked Gwen was his desperate state.
The poor soul was covered in cacti from head to toe, with painful spikes piercing through his skin.
Unable to move him by herself, Gwen rushed to a nearby golf course to get some help.
Maintenance workers Jose and Shawn immediately took some pliers and gloves and followed Gwen back into her backyard. The kind gentlemen instantly noticed it was not a dog pup at all!
What creature found refuge in her backyard, you might be wondering? Well, believe it or not, it was actually a coyote pup, not older than a few weeks.
That’s when Gwen noticed a pair of eyes gazing back at her from the trees behind her house. His mom was patiently waiting for the kind people to free her baby from the cacti, as Gwen said in a video:
“She kept coming back and holding a vigil in my backyard.”
The kind maintenance workers carefully pulled out the cacti from his head, shoulders, and paws. The sweet coyote pup remained still, almost as if he knew they were helping him.
Despite suffering some cuts on his skin, the coyote pup seemed to be alright. His rescuers, Jose Soto and Shawn Bordine, quickly snapped a few pictures before releasing him back to his mom.
Once the pup realized he was free from all the cacti, he ran across the backyard straight to his mom!
I’m beyond grateful for Gwen and the amazing golf course workers, who selflessly offered a helping hand to an animal in need!
Have you ever encountered wildlife in your backyard? Let us know and share your story with us!