After surviving an attack by another dog in 2019, 5-year-old Rufus is now fully recovered with one lasting quirk: one of his eyes appears bigger than the other.

The 7-pound chihuahua terrier mix was brought to the Palmdale shelter as a stray in need of emergency treatment after the attack, and St. Bonnie’s Sanctuary staff decided to step in and save Rufus’ life.

“He had some severe injuries to his eye and face,” said Nikki McNulty, an adoption counselor at St. Bonnie’s Sanctuary. “One of his eyes healed smaller than the other eye, so he is a little wonky, but he’s pretty charming that way.”

Related: KHTS Adopt A Pet: Harley, Castaic Animal Shelter (VIDEO)

Rufus hasn’t let the attack affect his playful confidence, though he is not comfortable with large dogs and is particular about which small dogs he wants to be around, according to McNulty. 

“He’s still very confident,” McNulty said. “He’s very specific on who he likes, so with the proper introduction, he’s good with smaller dogs.”

A sweet and friendly pup who loves to play, Rufus has been waiting for his forever home for about a year. 

“He’s perfect,” McNulty said. “The ideal adopters would be someone who loves and cares for Rufus as much as he loves and cares for them.”

To find out more about Rufus, or the adoption process at St. Bonnie’s Sanctuary, call 661-251-5590, email [email protected] or click here.  

About the KHTS Adopt a Pet Series

Once a month, the KHTS Adopt a Pet series features an adoptable animal from the Santa Clarita Valley in need of a home. The KHTS Features team travels to different rescues and shelters in Santa Clarita to meet the pets and tell their stories in hopes of helping them get adopted. First launched in August 2016, the series has partnered with seven local rescues, as well as the Castaic Animal Shelter, to showcase more than 100 dogs, cats and bunnies, and has seen 100 — and counting — adoptions so far. The series was created by KHTS Writer and Editor Melissa Lampert-Abramovitch, who has more than 12 years of experience in the animal rescue world.

See the full collection of the KHTS Adopt a Pet video feature series here. 

KHTS Adopt a Pet is brought to you by:

Cinema Veterinary Centre

23460 Cinema Drive

Valencia, CA 91355

661-253-9300

See the full collection of KHTS Feature Stories and Videos on hometownstation.com here.

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