A rescue puppy lost an eye and was left with 1,500 quills stuck in his face after trying to eat a porcupine in Alberta.

Brutus, a two-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier, had been abandoned and was living in a First Nation community near Edmonton, Canada when he was found.

The young puppy had been stuck with hundreds of quills, including seven in his left eye, after getting hungry and interfering with a porcupine den.

Brutus was found by the rescue organization Paws Up Program (PUP) on August 7 having tried to eat one of the porcupines, triggering its vicious defence mechanism.

PUP is now caring for the poor animal alongside another victim of a porcupine attack, which had quills stuck under its nose.

Brutus was rescued by the Paws Up Program after becoming stuck with quills in Canada

Porcupine quills were found in the puppy’s eyes, nose and mouth

After being found with quills in his snout, mouth and eyes, Brutus was rushed to an emergency 24-hour vet to receive treatment.

More than 1,500 quills were removed from his face.

The seven in his eye were said to be firmly planted in his face, causing real distress.

PUP was collecting donations to help Brutus’ recovery this week.

Porcupines can release their spines on impact, being only very loosely attached to their bodies.

They cannot shoot their quills.

Porcupines can have more than 30,000 quills on their bodies – and in some cases, they can even prove fatal. 

It is advised that porcupine quills should be removed by a vet with the animal under sedation or anesthesia in order for safe extraction.

Many porcupines live in areas in North America and their quills are so sharp they can puncture the skin and move through muscle.

The quills also carry bacteria with them, meaning they can serve as a source of infection, so they need to be removed as soon as possible.

In March, a black Labrador was rescued after a porcupine encounter, found with dozens of quills in his face after being abandoned.

Brady Oliveira found the puppy, thought to be around two or three years old, in a ‘ton of pain’ on the front steps of a house – with multiple punctures from the sharp quills. 

Brady said: ‘The dog had a face full of quills & was in a ton of pain. 

‘I drove out to the community and when I saw him, I was in total heartbreak!

‘He was quite scared and timid but I let him take all the time he needed until he started to trust me.

‘His sad eyes were telling me that he was in a ton of pain and discomfort.’

Brady and his friend found Trooper on the front steps of a house in a lot of pain and petrified by the quills lodged in his face after an unfortunate run-in with a porcupine.

Brutus was lucky to be rescued by the Paws Up Program rescue organization

Brutus the dog without porcupine quills in his head after his rescue, in Alberta

Brady had to sit with the terrified pooch for a while so he could calm down, before putting him in the car and taking him to the vets.

There, they were able to remove all of the quills from Trooper’s face and, despite him being a little bit scarred and swollen, he made a swift recovery.

‘I rushed him straight to the emergency vet where he had the quills surgically removed,’ he said.

‘The next day he was picked up and brought to the Winnipeg Humane Society. I tried my absolute hardest to get Trooper adopted.

Brady revealed that Trooper had been fortunate to find a new family after being put up for adoption.

The Winnipeg Humane Society described him as an ‘absolute joy’.

In December 2022, a dog owner was left with a $19,500 vet bill after their pitbull died from a porcupine quill attack.