Hello, is anybody out there? 

He scuffled his feet along the weed infested ground. Even though the awkward gait was uncomfortable for the Shih Tzu, it was all he could manage in his unkempt state. He winced as he blundered through a patch of weeds, the dried thorns catching his matted coat and pulling on his fur and skin. Little did it matter to him anymore, he was used to agony.  

In the early months it was merely an irritation: a flea bite here, a snarl of the fur there. However, after years of neglect of his hygiene and quality of life, the little itches became big itches, the small fur snarls became body-sized fur mats and massive tangles, and the flea bites became ticks that dug into his skin without abandon. 

He tripped through another patch of weeds as he staggered his way into the shade. It was hot in the desert and he needed to rest. He heaved himself down to the dirt with a sigh, trying to wriggle into a position that did not hurt. Laying his head onto his paws, he gazed through the matted hair and weeds to his home. But he did not see anyone. 

Did anyone see him? Was anybody out there? 

Sterling came to us on a warm day in mid-July via a rescue partner that specializes in rescuing animals from El Centro, California. Sterling did not come with much of a written history, but his body told the majority of it… Sterling’s long fur was neglected and matted beyond comprehension. We found weeds and foxtails in his fur and embedded in his skin. His fur was overgrown so much that he could hardly see a few feet in front of his face. He walked with a crouched gait as he could not even stretch his legs due to the matting. 

Our medical staff knew the first thing to do: they needed to free Sterling of his matted and filthy coat. Sterling was anesthetized, so he was blissfully unaware of his procedure. The medical team worked quickly and thoroughly to free him of all the weeds, dirt, and tangles that he had accumulated throughout his life. It was an arduous but gratifying experience. After Sterling woke up, he trotted out of the room and outside. We laughed as his walker could hardly keep up with him; he could run! And it felt good! 

Sterling, with his shining personality, is now waiting for his forever family. He is altered, micro-chipped, and up to date on all his vaccinations.  

Sometimes, it just takes a little work to spruce something up until its shining personality comes through, and that’s our Sterling!