Debbie Rappuhn is no stranger to heartbreaking sights.
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As president and co-founder of the nonprofit rescue, Heart of Alabama Save Rescue Adopt (HASRA), she’s seen many cases of animal abuse and neglect. But few ever punched her in the gut like the “prehistoric creature” with skin covered in a thick, painful crust. She and other rescuers couldn’t tell whether he was a dog or a wolf, let alone his breed.
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They found Augustus wandering the streets of Northwest Alabama, where he was not treated kindly. But finally, kindhearted Debbie found the poor pup and rushed him to an emergency vet.
The doctor took one look at Augustus and was in shock. He said it was the worst case of mange he’d ever seen.
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The poor dog was in bad shape. Aside from the mange, Augustus was emaciated and had ear mites. But bit by bit, the vet carefully peeled away thin layers of the crust and started the healing process.
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With the crust finally gone, it was time for Augustus to go to HASRA’s sanctuary.
While he couldn’t go outside just yet because of his raw, pink skin, he enjoyed regular meals, baths, coconut oil treatments, and affection from volunteers. And slowly, but surely, he learned how to trust people again.
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“He’d look up at us with these eyes that just said, ‘Thank you,'” Debbie said. “We knew at that time he wasn’t scared of us anymore. He was just so thankful and so grateful that someone had (helped him).”
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They watched as the patches of black and white fur grew and grew until it turned into the beautiful coat of a border collie. Volunteers could hardly believe they were looking at the same dog!
After the love, care, and healing he received, he was finally ready to find his forever home and was put up for adoption.
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Not long after, Augustus found his perfect match in Jordan and Mindy.
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These days, Augustus can either be found hamming it up for the camera or playing with his furry sister, Layla.
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Thanks to compassionate souls like Debbie and the people she works with, Augustus’ days on the streets are a forgotten chapter in his life. Thank you so much, Debbie and everyone at HASRA. It’s because of you that animals like Augustus get a second chance.
See more of Augustus’ transformation in the video below, and share this heartwarming story with other dog lovers.
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