When Grinch first arrived at a shelter in South Texas, he looked more like a carved piece of stone than a dog. He was completely hairless and his skin was gray and scabby.
The shelter staff knew he’d need special care if he was going to survive, so they called Rescue Dogs Rock NYC for help.
“He looked so sad and was in such deplorable condition that we obviously stood up and agreed,” Randie Semel, a volunteer with Rescue Dogs Rock NYC and leader of the Texas team, told The Dodo. “Not only were we unable to tell what type of dog he was, but clearly he had been suffering for quite some time.”
“He looked more like a statuary than a living creature,” she added.
Grinch was transferred to a local vet where he could begin treatment for his skin conditions and other illnesses, as well as get to a healthy weight. Grinch responded well to treatment and, over a month later, he traveled to the Northeast to be placed in a foster home.
When he arrived in December, Grinch looked better, but he was still suffering from his life on the streets. “He was really shy and scared of everyone who was around him,” Semel said. “He sort of backed away from other dogs.”
Working with his foster mom, Grinch learned to trust people, and slowly his hair grew back. He began to feel more confident and, eventually, even playful.
“He’s absolutely thrived in his foster home and he loves to play ball,” Semel said. “He looks beautiful and he loves to run and play.”
Just five months after his rescue, Grinch has completely transformed into a beautiful, fluffy shepherd/Malinois mix, and his personality has changed, too.
Grinch was recently placed with a new foster family who hopes to adopt him and give him a loving home. “The foster family is absolutely in love with him,” Semel said. “He’s a very sweet dog. He loves all people.”
Grinch’s transformation proves that every dog deserves a second chance, no matter how difficult the road ahead may be. And though Grinch’s name might suggest something different — he is, in fact, the happiest boy.
