After rescuing countless dogs from unimaginable neglect, the team at thought they’d seen it all. Then they met Dirty Rice: a dog so hidden beneath layers of fur that they could barely see who he was.
“This poor dog has been neglected and unloved for a long time,” SRSL wrote on. “He’s so matted.”
The small, curly-haired pup was stiff as volunteers carried him through SRSL’s doors. Years of neglect had turned his overgrown fur into a tight, painful shell around his body, making it nearly impossible for him to move or relieve himself.
Dirty Rice was in desperate condition. His eyes, hidden behind tufts of fur, were filled with fear, and he couldn’t stop hyperventilating. But luckily, he was in the right place to finally get the care he needed.
“He was really nervous and panting when he got here, but we promised him his life is about to change,” SRSL wrote. “There will be nothing to fear ever again.”
After reassuring Dirty Rice that everything would be OK, the vet team carefully sedated him and began the painstaking process of removing his fur. They couldn’t believe their eyes — or the scale — at the end of the procedure, realizing just how much fur Dirty Rice had actually been carrying around the whole time.
“Ashley just finished shaving TWO POUNDS of hair off this tiny fellow,” SRSL wrote. “When he wakes up, he’s going to feel like a whole new man.”
You can see more pictures from his first day at SRSL here:
Just as they’d predicted, Dirty Rice felt brand-new when he woke up from his makeover. Not only did the resilient boy look better after having his fur removed, but his quality of life instantly improved, too.
“[N]ow he can see!” SRSL wrote on. “He can feel! He can use the restroom comfortably!”
After years of neglect, Dirty Rice finally felt like a dog again. He was relieved. And when his caregivers gave him a special toy to keep him comfortable, his reaction proved that his puppy-like spirit was returning.
“He’s already less fearful,” SRSL wrote. “We gave him a bunny stuffed animal, and he hasn’t put it down, he LOVES it.”
You can see Dirty Rice and his bunny here:
Once a matted, overlooked dog, Dirty Rice is now a happy-go-lucky boy with a newfound zest for life. He’s currently up for adoption, and the folks at SRSL hope to find his dream family soon.
Until then, they’ll keep showering the sweet boy with love and reassuring him that the best is yet to come.