Maui’s Journey
On 2 August 2023, the Saving Hope Foundation HQ received a call from Veterinary Specialists Aotearoa in Auckland about 10 newborn pups found in a bin by Liz, a waste truck driver. She heard their cries while compacting her load and discovered them in a wet, cold shopping bag with their umbilical cords still attached. Sadly, six pups didn’t survive despite fighting hard. The remaining four battled severe illness but made it through.
Now, on 2 August 2024, those four pups—Missy, Milo, Maui, and Moana (now Luna)—are celebrating their first birthdays with their loving forever families and foster parents.
Here's a heartwarming story from Maui’s adoptive family:
When we discovered our cat was blind, my husband suggested getting him a seeing-eye dog. I wasn’t so sure but then came Maui. This small, handsome little pup trotted into the room where my family crouched down waiting to meet him. He came straight up to us and said hello, he climbed into my lap, he played tail wagging with my girls, he cuddled up to my husband. He had found us.
My brother and his partner went on to adopt Missy and my aunt adopted Milo. Maui has brought so much joy and teaches us daily about gratitude and love. Whether it’s a car ride, a walk, or a beach adventure, his enthusiasm for life reminds us to cherish the simple pleasures.