This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Submit your own rescue story here. Your story just might be the next to be featured on our blog! 

On July 7, 2026, during one of the hottest days of the summer, temperatures in Tunisia reached around 45°C.

Olfa Ferchichi

I was on my way home from work when I saw a tiny puppy alone by the side of the road.

He was so small, exhausted, and desperately thirsty. He was in an area with heavy traffic, on what is known locally as the “bank road,” with people constantly passing by. Cars, pedestrians, people rushing home, people heading to the beach—everyone was trying to escape the unbearable heat.

And yet, nobody stopped for him.

I couldn’t keep driving.

Olfa Ferchichi

I stopped the car, got out, and picked him up. He was far too young and vulnerable to survive there on his own, especially in that heat. With the summer heatwave, the dangers of the streets, and the ongoing campaigns to remove stray animals, leaving him behind was simply not an option.

I brought him home with me to the house I rent for my rescued animals.

Olfa Ferchichi

At first, I thought Bello was a little girl, so I named him Bella. But as he grew, I realized he was a boy, and Bella became Bello. Somehow, the name suits him perfectly.

Bello is a beautiful black-and-white Tunisian mixed-breed puppy. From the very beginning, he has been incredibly sweet and affectionate.

And he immediately found a best friend: Sarah.

Olfa Ferchichi

Sarah is one of my rescued dogs and is just over a year old. From the very first day, the two of them started playing together. Bello absolutely adores her. Sometimes I wonder if he thinks she is his mother.

He also loves cats and has happily become part of my little zoo.

Today, Bello lives with me, Sarah, Dolly, my other rescued dogs, and the many cats in my care.

Olfa Ferchichi

Seven of my dogs are currently in boarding, while the others are with me.

Every one of them came into my life because they were abandoned, injured, vulnerable, or simply had nobody else to help them.

Bello is safe now, but his story is not finished yet.

Because I was already overwhelmed with sick animals and emergency veterinary cases, and because my financial situation has become extremely difficult, I have not yet been able to vaccinate him or begin all the preparations he needs for his journey.

I desperately want to give Bello a real chance at the life he deserves.

Finding a responsible and loving adopter for him in Tunisia is extremely difficult. My plan is to properly prepare him for travel and find him a wonderful family in France through a trusted rescue organization that has already helped me place other rescued dogs in loving homes abroad.

I know how special Bello is. He deserves a family who will love him for the rest of his life, a safe home, a warm bed, and the chance to grow up without ever having to know what it feels like to be alone on a scorching road.

The little puppy who was invisible to everyone that day is now a happy, playful little boy who loves Sarah, loves the cats, and finally knows what it means to be safe.

But I cannot do this alone.

Bello still needs his vaccinations, veterinary care, and preparation for his future journey. With so many animals depending on me, every expense is a struggle.

If you would like to help Bello and the other rescued animals in my care, even a small contribution can make a real difference. Your support can help me provide the vaccinations, veterinary care, food, and preparation they need while I continue searching for safe and loving homes.

Thank you for stopping with me, even if only for a moment, to see Bello’s story.

He was once a tiny puppy lying helpless in 45°C heat while the world passed him by.

Now he has Sarah, a safe place to sleep, a full belly, and someone who stopped.

And I hope that one day very soon, he will have a family of his own.

Fundraising link:

https://www.cotizup.com/pour-animaux-errants

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/share/1DttfR2SwY/

SHARE YOUR OWN RESCUE STORY

Story submitted by Olfa Ferchichi.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!