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Dog Doused in Acid As Puppy ‘Knows She’ll Be Loved Forever’ After Adoption


A woman who saw the beauty in a rescue dog others thought was “too ugly” has recently shared that the once-petrified pup is now thriving in her forever home.

The dog was living on the streets in Cairo, where strays are often seen as a nuisance or pest, owner Chantale Bruno told Newsweek via email. Because of this, the dogs are abused, neglected, or tortured. She was told that her rescue dog, along with the dog’s litter-mates, were abused and then doused in acid, which killed three of the puppies.

Her dog, now named Cleopatra, was brought to the Animal Protection Foundation and nursed back to health. Then, for two years, she sat in the animal shelter because people deemed her too ugly, Bruno explained. She even earned the nickname “acid girl” while in the shelter.

“A rescue organization here in Canada posted her on their Facebook page and I happened to see it,” Bruno said. “She spoke to my heart and I immediately put in an application to adopt her. She came to Canada about a month later.”

Bruno welcomed Cleopatra to her home with open arms in July 2021, showering her with nothing but love for nearly three years. A May 6, TikTok video shared to Bruno’s account, @chantale.bruno, shows the two of them snuggling together. Cleopatra is at peace and “knows she’ll be loved forever.”

Dog doused in acid rescued
Screenshots from a May 6 TikTok video of a rescue dog cuddling with her owner. The dog was found doused in acid while living in Cairo.

@chantale.bruno/TikTok

Cleopatra’s confidence hit rock bottom after the abuse and two years in the shelter. She kept to herself and rarely played with other dogs. When Bruno adopted her, they worked on behavior modification to help her get used to men. She also had Cleopatra go to a local facility to work on building her confidence and socialization skills.

“She still doesn’t know how to play with toys except balls,” Bruno said. “She loves balls of all colors, all sizes, all textures.”

The only thing she loves more than playing with toy balls is cuddling. Bruno said there is no such thing as personal space with Cleopatra around since she is very attached. As far as getting used to strangers, she is still not crazy about them. However, she never shows signs of aggression. Her way of reacting to strangers is shutting down and lying on the floor submissively.

Not only does Cleopatra have Bruno by her side, but she also has the family’s other rescue animals. The family houses three dogs, four cats, and her daughter’s rescue dog, so they sometimes call their home the Bruno Zoo.

‘Breaks My Heart’

Cleopatra’s incredible journey to a new home has touched the hearts of viewers. The clip has nearly 280,000 views and 34,100 likes. People have been sharing how thankful they are for Bruno’s kindness to save this dog.

“Her poor little face. How can someone be so cruel? Thank heavens you have her now. Take care,” said one TikTok user.

A second commented: “Omg, what must have she gone through. This breaks my heart. Please give her a big hug and kisses from me. Sending you both love and blessings.”

Another added: “I will never understand the cruelty. Lucky, sweet pup found their beautiful forever home. I could not be happier for both of you.”

Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our “Pet of the Week” lineup.