kindness
Rescued From a Kitchen Cabinet, Hairless Puppy 'Dobby' Is Now Healthy and Free
A designer drove two hours to meet a trembling hairless pup, renamed her Misty, and by that first night she was prancing with joy and had a new best friend.
Some rescue dog transformations are so profound that they restore your faith in second chances. Dobby’s journey from squalor to a new family home is one of those stories.
Found trembling in appalling conditions, the resilient pup now spends her days playing and soaking up love alongside a new best friend.
When Humane World for Animals and the Runnels County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a property in Ballinger, Texas, they found a heartbreaking scene. The air was thick with nonstop barking and the smell of feces and urine.
Among the many dogs inside, rescuers discovered a young pup that was completely hairless and crouched inside a kitchen cabinet, and they gave her a fitting nickname, “Dobby” (for the Harry Potter ‘house elf’ that was not allowed clothes).
In total, the team rescued over 70 animals from the property, including chickens, ducks, geese, and a cat—each being given a chance at a better life.
Dobby woke up the next morning in a clean and safe environment, her healing journey already underway.
Friendly with responders, she wagged her tail as she accepted gentle affection—along with treatment for her mange, which most of the animals also required.
Haily, a graphic designer for Humane World, soon heard Dobby’s story. The little hairless pup tugged at her heartstrings, and she drove two hours to meet her.
“I often joked that at some point while working at Humane World, I would likely fall in love with a pup and want to rescue one,” Haily said .
The connection was immediate, and Haily knew they were meant to be best friends.
After bringing her home, Haily renamed her “Misty” to give her a fresh start and leave her painful past behind. That first night, Misty surprised everyone by prancing with joy around the house and quickly bonding with Haily’s other dog Ozwald. The two have now become inseparable friends.
She began eating like a normal puppy, gaining weight, and where there had been only bare, irritated skin was now soft fur as her coat began growing in.