Heartbreak over a malnourished hairless puppy dumped at a car wash

Dobby was discovered abandoned at the car wash near the border of Mexico. Luckily for him, a dog lover, rescuer and foster mom Ashli Garza spotted the poor pup right on time.

‘He was terrified’

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, of the 6.3 million companion animals that enter shelters in the US every year, around 3.1 million are dogs. Sadly, Dobby was one of those heartbroken pups.

Despite hating water, he was dumped near a car wash and was too scared of humans to approach anyone for help.

Luckily, Ashli Garza saw him, picked him up and handed him to one of the animal shelters in Texas. The team could only guess what happened to the poor pooch and why he was dumped in such a horrendous state.

He had a severe mange that would have taken months to develop and that made him bald. He was also severely malnourished.

His rescuers commented:

He was terrified but seemed to have felt some relief after the humans didn't hurt him.

Read more:

⋙ Shelter’s plea over a ‘very timid’ dog that was nearly starved by its owners

⋙ Vet’s heartbreak as an evil dog owner orders his neglected pooch to be put down

'Willing to Do Whatever It Took to Help Him'

Brylee Powell from Dallas came across Dobby's profile when her mom was looking to adopt a dog. The woman ‘fell in love’ with the pup and immediately applied for him.

Within the week, the shelter reached out and invited Powell to meet Dobby.

She said:

I said I did not care and I was willing to do whatever it took to help him. Dobby and I met on a bench, and he sat on my lap and was so wonderful. He didn't seem scared at all.

But when they got home, the pooch’s initial confidence faded. He struggled in the new environment and presence of humans.

Powell added:

He hid in the corner and growled at me.

Knowing that growing Dobby's confidence would take time, his loving owner would sit with the terrified pup for hours.

‘A Velcro dog’

As Powell stayed patient and consistent in her attempts to make Dobby feel safe, he started to come out of his shell, and eventually, settled into his new home.

Today, he and his owner are best friends. Despite the fact he still needs a lot of love and attention, the animal lover 'wouldn't change a thing'.

She commented:

He surprises me all the time with new developments in his personality. Lately, his new thing is to sit back on his hind legs and stare at me and beg for food. It's his new trick because he realizes we give him more attention this way.

Dobby's loving owner shared his story on Reddit, in the video melted people's hearts racking up thousands of views.

Powell admitted:

He is a Velcro dog that has his person and doesn't want to leave them ever.

Read more:

⋙ Heartbreak over an abandoned dog that was once a ‘much-loved pet’

⋙ Two dogs were heartlessly left to starve as their owners jet-setted on holidays

Sources used:

- Newsweek: 'Malnourished Hairless Puppy Unrecognizable After Being Adopted: 'Blossomed''