It’s well-known that for dogs to be genuinely healthy and content, they require regular grooming, particularly those with long and beautiful coats.
Grooming includes shaving, clipping, and trimming your pet’s fur as needed, as well as caring for their nails.
If your furry friend isn’t groomed occasionally, their nails can begin to grow inward and their fur might become severely matted, leading to a great deal of discomfort – as experienced by the dogs in today’s story.
Rescue Mission
Upon hearing about two dogs living in terrible conditions in someone’s backyard, the rescuers from Animal Friends Connection Humane Society in Lodi, California, sprang into action.
They were initially unaware of the extent of the situation, and when they finally reached the site, they were taken aback by what they found.
The rescuers encountered one pup and an enormous clump of fur that turned out to be another dog.
The matted pup, later named Tony, was among the most severe cases of matting the Lodi rescue team had ever observed, while the other dog, Clive, was in relatively better shape, albeit scared and dirty.
A glance around the area revealed a lot of trash, making it an unhealthy place for the pups to have been living in for extended periods. Fortunately, the rescuers managed to swiftly capture both dogs and bring them to safety.
Much-Needed Haircut
The pups were taken directly to the shelter, where Clive received a bath and Tony underwent a desperately needed haircut.
The rescue team was initially concerned that Tony might be frightened and make it hard to remove the mats, but to their surprise, he wagged his tail throughout the entire process.
“He was an absolute angel. He sensed he was being cared for and craved connection,” said Victoria, one of Tony’s rescuers from Animal Friends Connection Humane Society, in a press statement.
In no time, Tony was liberated!
Removing seven-and-a-half pounds of matted fur transformed Tony into the most adorable pup imaginable.
Both the rescuers and observers were astonished that such a small dog could bear that much weight in fur and were excited to watch his new life unfold.
New Life
Following their remarkable transformation, both Tony and Clive were temporarily taken in by Muttville Senior Dog Rescue before they found their forever homes.
Tony, who was given the new name Riley because his new owner is named Toni, is now enjoying the best life imaginable.
Since being freed from his mats, he has thrilled to embark on exciting adventures and explore the world with his new beloved humans.
