A neglected dog brought into a rescue center is barely recognizable one month later thanks to the love and care of shelter staff who have gently nursed him back to health.
In one of the worst cases of abuse ever seen, 10-month-old Hank arrived at the Code Red K9 Crew rescue nonprofit in February and photos of his before and after transformation have left netizens in awe.
When he arrived on their doorstep, Hank was covered in bald spots and his skin was so broken and inflamed that staff found it difficult to bathe him. Describing the pup as being neglected to the point of torture, staff said in their initial post that while he must have been hurting physically, his heart and soul were pure love.
"No matter how much pain he is in he just wants to look at us with thankful eyes and give us kisses,” they shared. "This is the kind of case that almost breaks our spirits, but we know we can help him overcome this and thrive."
And helping Hank thrive is exactly what this team of angels have done. Severely anemic and with his growth stunted from poor nutrition, he was described as the ultimate underdog and yet just a few weeks later the shelter team shared an update on the courageous canine
“He's not ready to strut the runway yet, but he's packed on some pounds and he's getting a start on growing a pretty new coat," the Code Red K9 Crew shared on Instagram on February 22.
Fast forward another two weeks to March 8 and Hank was looking like a completely different dog. "This absolutely gorgeous and sweet boy is nothing but pure happiness and it's infectious," wrote the non-profit. "He is so very appreciative of love and affection he can barely contain himself. It is not possible to look at him and not smile."
Sharing his before and after photos on Reddit, the shelter team are grateful for the outpouring of love and support that Hank has received, with the post being upvoted more than 30,000 times.
One user wrote “what a beautiful little baby, look at those eyes” while another chimed in with “the left picture is almost unbearable to see. The right picture makes it all worth it.” Another netizen summed it up beautifully with just two words: “absolutely heartwarming.”
Hank is now ready for adoption and is looking for his forever family - this is one little boy who definitely deserves all the love in the world and we have a feeling it won’t be long before he finds it.
