“This Is Now Next Level”: SA Content Creator Rescues Golden Retriever on SA Highway, Mzansi Reacts

• Joshua Rubin and his team spotted a golden retriever in distress on a South African highway and stopped to help her
• The dog, named Mia, had been missing for seven weeks before her family saw one of Josh's posts and reached out to him
• After long conversations with Mia's original family, Josh received their blessing to adopt her

Joshua Rubin was wrapping up a six-week road trip around South Africa when a stray dog on the highway changed everything.

Driving along the road, Joshua spotted a golden retriever that clearly needed help. The dog's fur was severely matted, she was covered in ticks, and her skin was in a bad state. He pulled over, got her into the car, took her home, gave her a wash and removed as many ticks as he could before driving her to a 24-hour vet.

Mia’s microchip led to a dead end

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At the clinic, staff discovered the dog had a microchip. The number linked to it, however, led nowhere. The person on the other end of the line did not recognise the dog. What the chip did reveal was her name: Mia, an 11-year-old golden retriever.

Josh began posting in local Facebook groups and missing dog pages, searching for anyone who might know her. In the meantime, Mia quietly slotted into the road trip as though she had always been part of it. Within a few days, Josh was completely attached.

Mia finds her forever home

Then Mia's original family came across one of the posts and got in touch. They revealed she had been missing for seven weeks. Over several days, Josh and the family had honest, thoughtful conversations about Mia's history and what the best path forward would look like for her.

Joshua chose not to share the details of those discussions publicly, but described the family as "genuinely incredible people." Together, they decided Mia would stay with Joshua, and her family gave their blessing for the adoption.

What started as a two-person road trip ended with three heading home.

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View the Instagram video below:

Mzansi reacts to Mia’s story

People in the comments section on the page were moved by the rescue:

@thepod.one wrote:

"Okay Josh. This is now next level awesome human. You can stop being so absolutely amazing now. You've proven your point... obviously kidding. Keep going. All the best to Mia 😍💙"

@robyn_jankielsohn said:

"😭😭 Poor Mia! Goodness, so glad she found you guys (or that you found her)."

@popsiekoch called it:

"The cutest thing EVER 😭😭😭😭"

@kiesjoukat added:

"❤️❤️❤️ Well done for stopping and caring."

@nix8m shared:

"This is everything, thank you 💙🐾"

@manon said:

"Wow. A true happy ending 🙌🏼"

@the_golden_jeweler simply wrote:

"God Bless you and Mia ❤️"

More Briefly News stories on animals

• Retired Hollywood baboon Chrissy melted hearts by hugging her longtime caregiver Stacy after receiving a banana, highlighting their decades-long bond.
• NSPCA board member Annette Rademeyer died at 60 after 25 years in animal welfare, prompting tributes from SPCAs across South Africa.
• Seven-year-old South African entrepreneur Victor uses his small business to support animal rescue centres with much-needed supplies.

Source: Briefly News