The Buks and The Beautiful

Submitted by Adorabull Terrier Rescue and Rehabilitation

Professional photography by Chasing Light

Our story of Buks unfolds in the Paarl area of the Western Cape province, where a beautiful red Bull Terrier male named Buks became the victim and the conqueror of circumstance in this, our happy tail.

Adorabull Terrier Rescue and Rehabilitation was contacted about a Bull Terrier male in need of a home. We took on the task and confirmed with the then-owner that we’d search through pre-approved families for a suitable home, or network should there not be one.

While we work as quickly as possible, approved, breed-savvy homes aren’t readily available, so this can take time. The owner then took the decision to rehome Buks of their own accord.

The “home” which Buks was given to, with someone who worked on the vessels in the area, wasn’t financially in a position to care for Buks and didn’t have the setup available needed for a balanced home for a dog of his (wonderful) breed.

They did want to do right by Buks – the previous owner had threatened to take him back and shoot him – so Buks, for his own safety, was moved to a second location. Try as we may, we battled to keep track of him. As you can imagine, when someone wants a dog to remain hidden, in certain circumstances it’s very easy to make it so.

Adorabull network teams kept Buks’ photos and information, hoping that he’d soon resurface. And a few months later he did. He was found to be in a neglected state, kept in a cage from which he desperately attempted to escape, while having the strength to do so.

The moment we realised it was Buks, Adorabull leapt into action and put out the message of urgency to secure him urgently and get him the vital medical care he needed. He spent some time with the vet hospital, was treated for parasites and his superficial injuries, while receiving quality food, nutrition, and kindness… one the most important commodities.

Buks, with the help of the vet team and Adorabull volunteers, had bounced back remarkably and, though still very underweight, was moved to our kennel facilities in Hermanus. Under the care of Will Tesner, Buks became his own man. He blossomed into a dog who finally knew what a ball was, how to play with toys, and most of all, how to have fun on the beach!

Adorabull started putting feelers out for a home for Buks.

A wonderful home came in the form of Melissa Fourie and her family, who met Buks and fell for the charming little man. He was officially adopted in March 2025 and has just grown in leaps and bounds in his home.

Power breeds aren’t for the fainthearted; they’re courageous and tenacious, but as tough as they seem on the outside, there’s a sweet, sensitive soul on the inside. Adorabull has managed to bring the best out of our rescues, while never losing sight of who they are, genetically and as their own dog.

Irresponsibly rehoming is on the rise in our country; it’s dangerous and, mostly, the dogs are failed miserably. Should there be no other alternative, please reach out to your most reputable, breed-specific rescue organisation for assistance in keeping your dog (first prize) or with rehoming responsibly, with sterilisation and adoption contracts in place to protect the dog for all of its natural life.

As the only registered English Bull Terrier-specific rescue organisation in South Africa, Adorabull, as an NPO, depends on the generosity of the breed-loving people of SA to ensure we can keep offering the service to our breed of choice. Please donate by sponsoring a kennel dog (email marketing@adorabullterrier.com for more information) or donate to: Adorabull Terrier Rescue, Nedbank Clearwater Mall, Account: 1110947801, branch code 182 505, current account.

Melissa, Buk’s owner, shares...

When we moved into our first home, we welcomed our very first Bull Terriers, a lifelong dream of my husband’s. It didn’t take long for us to completely fall in love with the breed, and that’s how we were first introduced to Adorabull. 

A few years later, after both our beloved Bull Terriers had crossed the rainbow bridge, we knew our home – and our hearts – were ready again. This time, we decided to adopt.

The process with Adorabull was incredibly smooth and far quicker than we ever expected. We completed the application form on a Monday evening, received a call from Will Tessner on Tuesday, had our home check done by Cheryl Gabriel on Wednesday, and by Sunday we were on our way to meet Buks… hoping to bring him home.

We’d already fallen in love with him from the very first photo, but meeting him in person made that love grow even deeper. Such a small little body, yet absolutely full of energy and personality, our busy Buks kept us on our toes from day one!

The first few weeks were an adjustment for all of us. We were learning about Buks, and he was learning about us. During this time, Will became our anchor. Whenever we felt unsure or needed advice, he was just a message away and always responded with patience, care, and practical guidance.

Buks taught us to celebrate the small wins. Slowly but surely he began to trust us, sitting a little closer, asking for more attention, becoming more playful, and less focused on trying to escape. Each little step meant the world to us.

Now, a year later, we truly cannot imagine our lives without him. He still keeps us on our toes and makes sure we stick to his routine! He has his own daily “checklist”, and when you meet his expectations, he rewards you with endless kisses, joyful zoomies, and his playful spirit.

Buks is full of character, but at the heart of it all he’s just a loving soul who wants to be close to us… and we wouldn’t have it any other way!