Willy Wonka may not have ears anymore, but he hasn’t lost an ounce of joy — or the love he has to give.
The sweet 2-year-old pit bull came to the Sacramento SPCA after an accident caused him to lose his ear flaps. Thankfully, he could still hear, but the injury left him looking a little different — and in need of a lot of care.
“Despite the trauma, he was still able to hear perfectly,” said Sarah Varanini, communications manager at the Sacramento SPCA. “But he needed ongoing treatment, and his original owner could no longer afford his medical care.”
Hoping to give Willy his best shot at healing, his family made the heartbreaking decision to surrender him to the shelter — and that's when everything began to change.
Willy's injuries required daily care: cleaning wounds, replacing sutures, and carefully rewrapping bandages. But through it all, he remained cheerful and gentle.
“Even with painful injuries, he trusted us completely,” Varanini said. “He was an absolute sweetheart.”
Willy’s big heart won over the entire shelter staff, especially a veterinary technician named John, who became particularly close to him. But John had a worry — would potential adopters overlook Willy because of his appearance?
Determined to help, John came up with a brilliant idea: If Willy couldn’t grow his ears back, maybe he could wear new ones.
That night, John crocheted a soft, fluffy pair of ears using white and pink yarn to match Willy’s fur. By morning, Willy had a brand-new look — and a head full of handmade ears.
“At first, Willy wasn’t quite sure what was happening,” Varanini laughed. “But when he realized the hat meant extra treats and attention, he was all for it!”
The shelter staff snapped photos of Willy in his cozy new ears and shared them on social media. Within days, the post went viral — and more importantly, it caught the attention of a loving family ready to take him home.
Willy was officially adopted.
He’s now fully healed and thriving in his new home, where he’s taken over the couch, become best buds with his new dog brother Zeus, and even met cats for the first time.
“He’s still the same big, cuddly marshmallow,” Varanini said. “Playful, affectionate, and incredibly sweet.”
Though he doesn’t need his crocheted ears anymore to win hearts, the staff hope they continue to remind him of the love and friendship he found at the shelter — and of the people who believed in him when he needed it most.
To support animals like Willy Wonka and help them get the care they deserve, you can donate to the Sacramento SPCA here.
And to follow Willy’s new adventures, you can find him on Instagram here.
