Pet owners should consider themselves guardians of something very precious: an innocent creature that only wants to give unconditional love. Instead of showing love, though, some despicable humans only torture and abuse animals.
What these pets have to endure is truly disgusting.
In Houston, local animal rights activists were alerted to a dog in severe need of help thanks to a post made on Facebook. The brutally battered animal was obviously deformed…and after his recovery, he was a brand-new (unrecognizable) dog.
Source: KHOU
To the rescuers’ surprise, he willingly ran into their arms; he was so ready to be saved. The dog, whose name was Gus, was found with a shoestring wrapped around his neck. It was so tight, it became embedded in his skin.
The string is what caused the severe swelling and deformation of his head.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
Neighbors in the area claimed that the poor dog had been in this abused condition for well over a year.
He was rushed to a nearby animal hospital. After being admitted, a surgeon attempted to clean the deep neck wound. Unfortunately, scar tissue was too severe near Gus’s jugular vein and carotid artery. The surgery had to be stopped.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
Because of the various complications, Gus had to be transferred to a soft tissue specialist at the Texas A&M Small Animal Clinic.
Thankfully, no one was about to give up on this poor creature.
Source: Houston K-911 Rescue / Facebook
The road to recovery for Gus wouldn’t be a short one, but this happy, energetic dog was willing to fight for his life.
Soon, Gus was made more comfortable. The swelling in his head began to decrease after some successful procedures.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
He was also emaciated, so vets had to be careful when introducing food back into his diet. They wanted to make sure that he could recover from the surgeries without overwhelming his system.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
While Gus was being treated at the clinic, the vets discovered something shocking; X-ray photos of his body showed that he was shot with a pellet gun at least 25 different times.
He even had some of the projectiles still lodged in his body.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
For being so monstrously abused at the hands of a human, Gus was surprisingly kind and loving.
He was a trooper through all of the treatments and never lost his spirit. Once he was ready to recover, a kind-hearted veterinary technician by the name of Marina Harrison took him into her home as a foster mother. She wanted to make sure he could rest comfortably.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
In the vet tech’s home, he was spoiled rotten. He always wanted to be the center of attention (and Marina was happy to oblige).
He even enjoyed rooting for his foster mom’s favorite football team, the Dallas Cowboys! Wearing a jersey and cuddling during the games would be an easy task for Gus.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
Then, something wonderful happened.
After years of being tortured, shot at, starved, and ignored…Gus finally found a forever home.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
Although he always had a positive spirit, on the outside, Gus is unrecognizable from when he was first found.
Source: KHOU 11 / YouTube
It’s a miracle that he was discovered before being subjected to more cruelty or even dying from his injuries.
We could all learn a thing or two from this incredible animal. Every day, he hoped for love and affection. He just wanted to be given what he so willingly gave to others. It didn’t matter that he was brutally abused; he was ready to love.
Animals like Gus deserve to live out a happy, healthy life. If you see an animal in need, never hesitate to contact the authorities. Doing so may just save their life!
