Professional photography by Nat Gold ZA
The young dog had one of the worst cases of demodectic mange TEARS Animal Rescue had ever witnessed. When he arrived in February, having been surrendered from Mitchell’s Plain, Huxley was covered in thickened, damaged skin so bad it looked to the TEARS staff as though he’d been dipped in cement.
Severe demodectic mange is a skin condition caused by microscopic mites. In healthy dogs, these mites are kept in check, but when left untreated due to neglect, they multiply and cause devastating damage. Hair loss, thickened skin, painful sores and constant itching that makes it almost impossible for an animal to rest, let alone feel safe.
The odds may have been against this mutt, but TEARS was determined to turn things around for Huxley.
What followed was a long road back. Huxley’s recovery required medicated baths and vet-prescribed care which, together with the patient and consistent love that comes from a team who show up every day, made all the difference.
Hill’s Pet Nutrition provided vital nutritional support through their Prescription Puppy Derm Complete food, nourishing Huxley’s damaged skin from the inside out. Slowly but surely, the itching eased and his skin began to heal. A scrappy, uneven coat started growing back. And with every wash and every meal, his confidence returned too.
By April, Huxley was ready for his next chapter.
Melanie and Bertus du Toit, who live in Fish Hoek with their children and two other dogs, had visited TEARS the week before Easter and spotted him. It wasn't a difficult decision. When Melanie and her son walked past his kennel, Huxley looked directly at them, and that was that.
After the supervised meet-and-greet with their dogs went off without a hitch, the couple returned on Easter Monday to bring him home. “You could tell he’d never lived in a house before,” says Melanie. “He’d probably always been on the streets, living in survival mode.”
Huxley arrived cautious and uncertain, but within two weeks something shifted. He realised this was his forever home. Fast-forward to today and he’s living his best life, enjoying the puppy experience he never got to have. He’s clever, affectionate and an enthusiastic chewer when he’s left alone too long.
“You can see it’s stress-related, his way of self-regulating,” says Melanie. “And he manages to look completely innocent about it every single time.”
What strikes his family most is how he loves. “He’s different from other dogs,” she says. “He loves everything and everybody. It’s total unconditional love.”
Huxley’s story started with neglect on the streets of Mitchell’s Plain. But it ends with a cosy bed in Fish Hoek, a family who chose him on sight, and a future that looks brighter than anyone could have imagined.
While Huxley has found his forever home, many other deserving dogs at TEARS are still waiting for theirs. If you’re ready to welcome a new companion into your life, book an appointment to visit our kennels and meet the dogs looking for loving families.
