Nine Dumped Dogs' Fur Was So Matted They Couldn't Move, Now They're Completely Transformed

By Amanda Thomason January 19, 2019 at 2:29pm

When pets fall on hard times, it’s amazing to watch people rally together to make things better. It’s contagious, almost: When you see sad little faces and hear horrible backstories, there’s something that just tugs at you to find a way to help.

Furry Friends Refuge in West Des Moines, Iowa, recently encountered a disturbing situation. On Jan. 7, someone dropped off nine pups in bad shape.

Nine bichon frises stuffed into two small wire crates, many of them terribly matted and flea-infested, were found on the rescue’s property. Andrea Touzani, the manager, told The Dodo that the dogs must have come from an irresponsible breeder or hoarder, and that law enforcement is on the case.

“Today, we found 9 dogs being left in our parking lot,” the rescue posted on Facebook. “After taking them in and getting them checked over these guys were in clear need of help.”

“Most were matted to the point that it was pinching their skin, fleas were buried in the matted fur, and a number need dental care and treatment for ear infections. These guys will require patience as most are not well socialized.”

“Please help by donating or fostering while we get these guys spayed and neutered and tend to their medical needs.” Fortunately, people stepped up to foster the nine bichons, but there was still the matter of their coats.

Would you adopt these dogs?

Someone noticed their state and story because of the shelter’s Facebook post, and offered her services. “Did you get them completely groomed or did you just shave the Matted parts off?” Chrissy Elliott commented on the rescue’s post.

“I own bark n bubbles down the street I will do full groom on all of them for free before they go to a home.”

The rescue took Elliott up on her offer, and not long after, Bark N Bubbles posted pictures of the pups — but they were barely recognizable as the sad, dirty, matted creatures they’d been before.

“On Saturday we groomed these little ones,” Bark N Bubbles wrote. “4 of the 7 groomed. It’s crazy to see the before and after they did so good considering they have had no grooming prior.”

“Sneak peek at the amazing transformation these sweet kids received from Bark N Bubbles, LLC!” the rescue posted on Jan. 13. “The ‘Out of this world 9’ are starting to look like bichons again!”

While the pups are not available yet, they have all been placed in foster homes where they will continue to receive attention, affection and socialization. They’ll finally have a chance to become well-rounded individuals, getting their shot at happiness after the ordeal they’ve faced.

They are still very timid and have a lot to work through. The shelter is not accepting adoption applications at the moment, but you can follow the shelter’s Facebook page for updates.

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