As humans, it’s our duty to take care of the other creatures that inhabit this Earth. Unfortunately, it seems like some people didn’t get that memo of compassion. Every single day an animal is abused, neglected, starved, or left for dead. This pup was traveling down that bleak road fast, but with the help of some new friends, he was able to rise above it all.”A woman surrendered them to us from Houston. We don’t have a lot of info on her and, honestly, considering the conditions these animals were in, our first priority was to save their lives,” explained the community relations manager for the shelter, Cassie Lackey.
These poor animals had seen many, many dark days. But one animal in particular stuck out more than the rest of them: a little pup that the shelter later name Pierre.
“Their matting was so severe, they had limited range of motion. Their dreadlocks were intertwined and painful when they walked, as if each step pulled on fur. We had NO idea what was under the matting. We could be dealing with maggots, cysts, wounds, flea infestation and so much more,” explained Lackey.
So they reached out to their community on Facebook. “Let’s just be real. It’s been a rough week here at HSNT. These cases hurt our hearts, but we wake up every day and give our best to the pets in our care,” wrote the shelter. The shelter had no idea how much the community would actually help.
“The North Texas community outpouring of love has been unreal. They funded all the animals’ veterinary care, and PetSmart donated free grooming to us with their senior groomers,” exclaimed Lackey. And the first step was to make sure Pierre’s matted fur was taken care of.
There were so many dreadlocks that they needed to be shaved off very carefully to avoid hurting Pierre. And he was such a good boy during the whole thing. It was as if he knew they were helping him.
“It took hours, and needed to be done in sections. The weight of his fur alone from the fecal matter, urine and mud was FIVE pounds,” explained Lackey. After they groomed Pierre, and gave him a nice relaxing bath, he looked like a brand new pup, and he probably felt like one, too!
“I had Pierre in my office each day to give him interaction, socialization, and love. It is amazing how much he loves people … He doesn’t quite know what treats or balls/toys are yet, but he will. He is ridiculously sweet and loving considering his horrid beginning,” said Lackey. Fortunately, Pierre wouldn’t have to stay at the shelter for too long!
The Unzicker family had fallen head over heels in love with Pierre and his heartbreaking story. They showed up to adopt him, knowing they could provide the loving home that he deserved. Pierre was living in horrible conditions and didn’t even know what a toy was, but with his new family, Pierre will be able to live out the rest of his life in a home full of love!
