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Neglected for Years and Abandoned, This Dog’s Transformation Left Rescuers in Tears

When rescuers first found him, they didn’t even realize it was a dog—just a motionless lump of filthy, matted fur discarded by the side of the road. Weighing only 15 pounds, the small pup was carrying nearly three pounds of thick, tangled hair that left him unable to see, walk properly, or even wag his tail. Volunteers worked for over two hours with scissors and a shaver to free him from the painful mess. And when the final clump of fur hit the ground, something unexpected happened…

When the rescue team opened the crate, they couldn’t believe what they were looking at.

At first, they thought it was a pile of dirty rags — until it moved.

Huddled in the corner, barely able to lift his head, was a small dog so engulfed in matted fur that you couldn’t even tell what breed he was. His coat was a tangled, filthy mass—stiff with dirt, urine, and who knows what else. He didn’t bark. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t even look at the people who had come to help him.

“It was one of the worst cases of neglect we’ve ever seen,” said Dana, a volunteer with Hope Paw Rescue in rural Missouri. “He looked like a discarded mop that had been left out in the rain for years.”