Balou's Journey: The Orange Tree Puppy

Not long after I found Nala, fate had another rescue waiting just around the corner.

It was one of those days on the road where plans change in an instant. I had forgotten my lunch and, cycling through the countryside, I spotted an orange tree just off the road. A quick stop for some fruit felt like a small win.

But beneath that orange tree was something far more important than lunch.

Curled up in the grass was a tiny, abandoned puppy in heartbreaking condition. She was covered in mange and she yelped at the slightest touch. It wasn’t looking good but walking away was never an option. We were miles from the nearest vet and because mange is highly contagious, Nala had to be kept at a safe distance as i wasnt sure if it could effect Nala so the poor wee pup had to spend her first night with us sleeping outside the tent as i couldnt have them near each other.

The next morning, I got the local vet to pick up the pup as quickly as possible. The first step was relief: a special warm medicated bath to kill the mites causing the mange. For a puppy who must have been unbearably itchy and in constant pain, that bath was likely the first comfort she’d felt in weeks. After drying off, some food and water, and antibiotics to tackle infection, the little fighter fell asleep. Soon after, she was placed on an IV drip which was the fastest way to deliver fluids and medicine to her fragile body.

The vet made the decision to keep her for a full month. Her immunity was dangerously low after being separated from her mother so early and she needed warmth, stability, and round-the-clock care.

Weeks later, with Nala safe at a friend’s home, I boarded a 12-hour overnight bus back to Sarandë. It was time to see the pup again, and to finally give her a name. As fate would have it, while cycling, I came across a building with a huge sign that simply read: BALOU. The vet said she was going to be a big dog because of the size of her paws and If she was going to grow to the size of a bear, it seemed only right that she would carry the same name. From a pup who once cried out in pain at the slightest touch, Balou had transformed into a playful, resilient little character with her whole life ahead of her.

But rescue is only the beginning of the journey. Balou was adopted by a wonderful family in Wales. Before she could travel home, she still needed further treatment, vaccinations, and time to grow stronger. After receiving her rabies injection, she stayed in Tirana for three months at a training and socialisation centre, learning how to be a confident young dog around others.

Had I not forgotten my lunch and not spotted that orange tree. Balou’s story would have ended before it began. Instead, it became a story of second chances.

Balou’s journey reminds us why rescue matters. Why stopping matters. Why looking twice matters. Because sometimes, beneath an orange tree on an ordinary day, there’s a life waiting to be saved.

Today, Balou is thriving - healthy, loved, and living the life every rescue dog deserves. She is even featured in our book for children "Nala's World"!

From the tiny pup found under an orange tree to the confident, happy girl she is now, her transformation has been nothing short of incredible. You can continue following Balou’s adventures and see how her story unfolds with her sister Guapa over on Instagram at @balouandguapathegoodgirls.