Some dogs have the most beautiful transformations when they are finally rescued. This story is one of those amazing transformation tales; if you didn’t know any better, you would think the images were of two different dogs.
Karla Solis was in Tijuana, Mexico, when she saw something devastating. A small, malnourished dog was cowering under a car. He was trembling, starving, and afraid to go out into the sun.
She spent several attempts trying to coax the animal out from under the car, and when he came out he looked even more mortified.
Karla could immediately tell this dog needed medical attention. He suffered from severe mange and other diseases caused by ticks. The Chow was only 40 pounds – half of what he should weigh – and he was so weak that his pelvic bones were sticking out.
She brought him to the vet, where she discovered that he also had an unidentified mass inside his stomach. This dog would need serious medical assistance if he was going to survive.
Karla contacted Becky Moder, who transports neglected dogs from Mexico to animal shelters in the U.S. The two worked together to raise funds to cover the dog’s medical procedures. Unfortunately the fundraising came up short, but these heroes were not willing to give up.
Becky paid for almost half of the medical costs out of her own pocket, wanting to give this dog a fighting chance at a new life. Fortunately the dog, whom the women named Elliot, began to quickly recover after the procedure.
In just a few months his hair began to grow into the fluffy red mess it was always meant to be. The moment he was healthy enough to be adopted, Becky drove Elliot up to San Diego to find his forever home.
She brought him to The Barking Lot, where he quickly met his new family. As luck would have it, a couple was looking for an older, mild-tempered dog to take in. When they met Elliot, their dreams came true.
Kim Forrest and her partner both had busy schedules, so they thought an older dog would be best for them. From the moment they met the dog they knew he would be a part of the family.
“We got to meet him and walk him and he was such a gentle lead. I think that’s really what got us,” Kim told The Dodo. “He was very calm-tempered, he didn’t bark and he was super-duper friendly … He was a very happy dog.”
The couple renamed the dog Asher and brought him home. He was happy to be with his new owners, but he was still that scared puppy that had needed rescuing. Asher was afraid to jump on the furniture, and he never made any noise.
Slowly, as he warmed up to his new home, the dog came out of his shell. He became more comfortable around his humans, and he would even bark excitedly when they returned home from work. This life was a dream come true.
“When we first got him, we didn’t think he wanted to play at all,” Kim recalled. “We had bought him all these toys, and if you took a squeaky toy and squeaked it at him, he would look at you like you’re crazy.”
“But as time went on, we realized that he really just likes my stuffed animals. He started to take my teddy bears, and now he loves to play with anything that doesn’t have a squeaker or sound. It’s his favorite thing.”
Now Asher loves being outside. He especially enjoys going to the park, where he can chase bunnies until his heart is content. This dog draws attention wherever he goes, and his owners are thrilled for him.
“Everywhere we go, somebody wants to talk to us about him. It’s very fun to have that kind of attention for him, because he deserves it,” Kim shared. “He had such a rough time for the first five years of his life, so we’re just so happy for him. It makes me and my partner’s hearts very full.”
Asher might even become a big brother soon, since his parents are thinking of adopting a cat. No matter what the future holds, this dog will finally have the good life he deserves.
