The art of kindness! Maddie’s Portrait quickly became a coveted prize. Inspired by a dog who had overcome terrible odds, her picture captured not only the face of a gorgeous pooch but an unsung face of resilience. When the portrait was eventually won, the winner did something beyond special:
Western Cape, South Africa (20 January 2025) — Back in August, a dog named Maddie made her way to the Animal Welfare Helderberg’s (AWH) kennels. She wasn’t known as the dog muse of ‘Maddie’s portrait’ then. In fact, she was only at the beginning of her healing journey.
“[Maddie] had been severely abused and neglected in her previous home,” the AWH explain. “She was then chained up in her yard and her owners left the property, leaving her behind.”
Maddie was doing wonderfully in the care of the AWH team. The next leg of the journey meant finding Maddie a home of her very own, one filled with love that hadn’t been present before. For months, the AWH team shared Maddie’s pictures and information, hoping that she could trade the kennels for the soft life.
Toward the end of the year, the good news came: Maddie’s forever home had found her at last!
When the time came for the AWH to organise a giveaway to raise funds for other dogs like Maddie, a creative decided to use their skills to turn the pooch, whose story had pulled on so many heartstrings, into art.
This wasn’t just the face of a gorgeous dog but an unsung face of resilience.
While Maddie settled into her new home, her portrait began doing the rounds on social media. Many of the people who shared the prize portrait knew Maddie’s story, and so the art naturally became intertwined with ideas of hope and happy endings.
When the winner of Maddie’s Portrait received their prize at the end of December, they did something unexpected.
Perhaps it was the festive season, Maddie’s journey or just a decision to complete the story; however, instead of keeping the gift they’d won, the anonymous winner opted instead to regift it to none other than Maddie’s new mom.
Thanks to the full circle moment, Maddie’s happy ending and new beginning are now forever recognised in a portrait we’re sure is hanging proudly in her new home.
by 