Of course, every single dog out there is beautiful, that’s something that every dog lover will agree on. However, sometimes, that beauty can be a little harder to see if you come across dogs that are malnourished, neglected, or abused.
Luckily, some of these abused dogs with previous owners who clearly didn’t deserve them, end up in no-kill animal shelters or at rescue organizations where they’re properly taken care of. Employees and volunteers do their best to give them as much tender loving care as possible.
Scruffy was one of those dogs who was severely maltreated.
The poor four-footer’s skin was in a very dire condition. The dog was severely matted and scabbed, and even though he had now found a temporary home at Lost Fantasy Rescue, they weren’t able to groom his extremely matted fur back to a normal state.
Luckily, the pup wouldn’t have to run around with his matted fur for long, because the pooch would soon win a very special contest that puts dogs with matted fur and skin conditions in the spotlight.
The competition, known as the Dirty Dogs Contest, has been going on for nine years and has always been sponsored by Wahl and Greater Good Charities.
The idea of the contest is that every shelter across the nation can share their stories and pictures of their dogs, then a couple of contenders are picked by a number of judges.
When they’ve found ten ‘dirty dogs’, so to speak (four-footers that have severely matted hair and could definitely use some professional grooming) people can decide which dog deserves it the most in a public vote.
The winner of America’s Top Shelter Dog Makeover 2020 competition is the adorable pooch Scruffy!
When Lost Fantasy Rescue first took Scruffy in, his condition was absolutely horrifying.
“Scruffy was found abandoned on the side of the road & picked up by a passing driver who called us,” the animal organization shared on their Facebook page. “The rescue knew a matted dog would soon be dropped off, but who arrived was a nightmare of old, dirty fur. Once he was being shaved the extent of his neglect became apparent as a harness was found inside the fur as well as sticks & other debris.”
“People will often overlook a matted dog because they don’t have the same appeal as a neat and clean animal, but once groomed, these dogs shine.”
Luckily, Scruffy has been doing much better since his much-needed makeover, and has actually found his forever home too!
“Scruffy has earned the nickname Mr. Meet & Greet, as he’s well-known and adored in the apartment complex where he now lives with his mom.”
There were three main prize winners – all of them received a much-needed makeover and a special grand prize for their shelter. Scruffy won a $5000 grant for his shelter.
Puppy Florence from California came in second place.
This poor dog was abandoned and tied up outside of a rural shelter, and his skin condition was extremely dire. He had severe mange everywhere.
“We got her medical treatment, put her into a foster, and nursed her back to health. We had to rotate between medicated baths and Wahl oatmeal shampoo to help her poor skin,” the Little Red Dog, Inc organization said.
Florence won a $2,500 grant!
The third prize went to Patterson from Texas, earning a $1,000 grant for the Cocker Spaniel Rescue shelter.
“His jaw was broken in several places and was hanging at an ungodly angle.” His road back to health was rough as eating with “no teeth and a dragging jaw make for a messy eater!”
If there’s one thing that the organization of the contest wants to emphasize, it’s that there are always millions of dogs out there who a looking for a home. Adopt, don’t shop!
You can check out a video about the importance of pet grooming below.
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