When Neda Saghafi first saw a photo of a tiny, hairless puppy splashed with strange purple markings, her heart dropped.
The 3-month-old pup had been picked up as a stray and taken to an overcrowded shelter in Fresno, California — a place where vulnerable dogs rarely make it out without rescue. Saghafi, who runs Simba's Paw Dog Rescue, knew she couldn’t scroll past.
“My heart struck, and I thought, ‘I have to rescue this dog,’” she told The Dodo.
When she finally met the puppy in person, the sight was even more heartbreaking. His skin was raw, scabbed, and inflamed from severe mange, and the purple stains across his tiny body only deepened the mystery.
“At first, I thought it was spray paint, maybe something cruel kids had done,” Saghafi said. “Or worse — sometimes bait dogs are spray-painted different colors so people can bet on them. That’s what went through my mind.”
But a vet offered a different explanation.
The purple substance turned out to be an old-fashioned antiseptic sometimes used on farm animals. Perhaps someone had tried — unsuccessfully — to treat him. Oddly, though, the markings weren’t uniform: a cross on his forehead, random streaks down his sides.
Whatever the intention, it didn’t ease his suffering. His mange was one of the worst Saghafi had ever seen.
“If you touched him, it was like touching a lizard or a snake,” she said. “He was bloody, itchy, and covered in scabs.”
Saghafi named him Prince — though she also affectionately calls him Chicken Nugget — and set about helping him heal.
Two months later, the transformation was astounding. Prince’s fur began to grow back, soft and shiny, and the scabs slowly disappeared.
He still has a few patches on his face, but the frightened, hairless puppy has blossomed into a joyful, affectionate dog.
“Prince is such a lovebug,” Saghafi said. “He wants to be friends with everyone — my dogs, my foster dogs, everyone he meets. And when you hold him, he just melts in your arms.”
Then came another surprise. In June, Saghafi was contacted about another puppy found in the same area. She looked almost identical to Prince, suffered from mange, and was deaf. Her name was Cleo.
“The moment I saw her picture, I thought, ‘This has to be his sister,’” Saghafi said.
When Prince and Cleo reunited, it was as if they’d never been apart. The two immediately became inseparable, with Cleo following her brother’s lead and Prince happily guiding her through the world.
Now, both puppies are searching for their forever homes. For Saghafi, saying goodbye will be bittersweet — especially with Prince, who has captured her heart.
“He’s one of my favorites,” she admitted. “I’m definitely going to cry when he leaves. But I know the perfect home is out there for him, and I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
Until then, Prince and Cleo will keep playing, cuddling, and showing the world just how resilient — and loving — rescue dogs can be.
If you’re interested in adopting Prince, you can contact Simba's Paw Dog Rescue. You can also follow Prince's adventures on Instagram.
