14 Dogs Before and After They Were Rescued by PETA (Photos)

PETA’s fieldworkers are on call 24/7, responding to animal emergencies in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina year round. Here’s a glimpse into the lives of just a handful of the animals they’ve encountered who faced extreme neglect but were ultimately rescued by PETA.

Boss

When PETA fieldworkers found Boss, a Chihuahua-terrier mix, he was covered with fleas, causing him to lose nearly all his fur and leaving his skin painfully raw. He now lives with a doctor and a teacher in New York City.

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Dallas

Dallas, a pit bull, became severely emaciated after being left chained outside without adequate food and deprived of desperately needed veterinary care for a severe case of intestinal parasites. After much persistence, PETA gained custody of him, and he packed on 30 pounds in just one month!

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Coco

Coco was anemic, full of parasites, and about half her ideal weight. But all that changed after PETA rescued her and the Virginia Beach SPCA helped her find her “forever” family.

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Holly Berry

Now a long way away from her former life, in which she sat chained and starving in a muddy yard, Holly Berry loves running with her human and even won the Virginia Beach SPCA 5K in 2014.

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Justice

When PETA fieldworkers discovered Justice, he had been neglected for so long that his collar had become embedded in his neck, causing a painful infection. Now living happily ever after with his new family, he’s a chronic snuggler.

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Jake

Previously covered with tangled, painfully matted fur and ill from heartworms, Jake received some extra-special TLC from PETA and the Virginia Beach SPCA before he found his wonderful new home with another dog and three cats as siblings.

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Cora

The chain that had restricted Cora’s movement for most of her life had started to wear a bloody hole into her neck by the time she was rescued by PETA. She now lives with a loving guardian who showers her with affection. It’s clear that theirs was love at first sight!

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Sergeant

The first year and a half of Sergeant’s life was spent chained outside like an old bicycle. This smart, playful German shepherd pup finally found happiness when he was surrendered to PETA and adopted by a psychiatrist living in New York City.

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Russell

Russell was suffering from several bite wounds and couldn’t bear any weight on one of his legs after being attacked by stray dogs (twice!) while left outside unattended. PETA rushed him to a veterinarian, and with treatment, he has made a complete recovery. Despite everything that he’s been through, he has no fear of other dogs and has become fast friends with the three other pups in his new home.

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Blue

PETA staffers found Blue locked inside a crate with the emaciated body of another dog who had died of starvation. The man responsible for their suffering was sentenced to 12 months in jail, with six months suspended, and ordered to pay $452 in restitution to PETA for veterinary bills. PETA transferred Blue to the Virginia Beach SPCA, where he was adopted into a loving home.

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Elsie

Elsie belonged to a family who had more animals than they could properly care for. One of their new additions attacked Elsie, who sustained a severe eye injury and serious nerve damage to her shoulder, which left her unable to bear weight on one of her front legs (even today, she still limps ever so slightly). PETA took her in and saw to it that she received treatment for her injuries, which included having her damaged eye removed. She was adopted into a home with three other dogs also rescued by PETA. Despite losing her eye, she’s extremely agile and still loves her life, including snuggling with her canine pack.

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Itchy

PETA had visited and monitored Itchy, who was left outside 24/7 in a trash-filled pen, for many years. When our fieldworkers discovered that he had a severe heartworm infection, his owners chose to give him to PETA. He was more than 20 pounds underweight, but after a few weeks of TLC, he found a permanent home with the PETA supporters who had sponsored and cared for him during aggressive treatment for his advanced heartworm disease. His new family reports that he is now strong and energetic.

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Soupster

Soupster’s family called PETA on Christmas Eve to surrender her because they were having a baby. The tiny dog was plagued with health problems, including kidney disease and infected teeth (all but three of which had to be pulled), and she was covered with severely matted fur that was caked with feces and urine and had to be shaved off, revealing painfully raw skin. A veterinarian predicted that, even with treatment, she only had six months to live, but she was adopted by her PETA caregiver and, against all odds, has made a complete recovery. She’s now enjoying the life that she always deserved but was deprived of for so long.

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Animals deserve our respect and compassion, and it’s up to us to speak up when we see neglect and abuse. Always adopt, and never buy, animals. Share this page now!