When a near-death dog showed up on a door step in Brownsville, Texas, he made the perfect choice to have his luck change and turn his horrific life into one that brings him happiness and love he probably has never seen before.
"Help! This dog showed up at our home near Rio Del Sol area this morning," Dan Van Coppenolle posted on his Facebook page Saturday morning. "He has a collar with no tags and is in bad shape. Very weak and hungry."
That message, along with the picture of the poor dog with no hair, just scabs all over his body and face and every bone in his body protruding through his thin scabby skin showing, brought out the best of social media. The post was shared more than 600 times the first day.
"I'll buy him food," someone replied.
"I'll sponsor him," said another.
"Where can we donate?" was the main question asked.
And so "Rex" found his village, along with the love and support that comes with it.
"Thank you all for your compassion," Van Coppenolle wrote in a subsequent post on Nov. 7, according to The Dodo. "A kind woman who fosters unhealthy dogs just came to pick up this beautiful dog. You could tell that he was tiger-striped and his ears were clipped and was probably used for dog fighting. God is looking out for this beautiful dog."
Van Coppenolle reposted on Nov. 16, telling Rex's new fans that he is doing well, receiving treatment for his dermatitis, and gaining strength, as poor Rex has deadly heartworms, a treatable disease. However, when left untreated, the disease leads to death. Rex was already doing well and being treated through the vets with Brownsville Animal Defense (BAD), and the social media friends chipping in to help cover his vet bills.
That was in November. The progress Rex has made is tremendous, and he is happy at last in his foster home, gaining weight, gaining hair (he is a beautiful brindle color) and loving everyone he meets.
See Rex in his foster home and the transformation he has gone through in the five weeks since the lucky moment he walked up on just the right doorstep.
