Do you get emotionally pulled in by those sad commercials showing abused animals? You know, the ones with the haunting background music? It’s okay to cry waterfalls because deep down you realize that it’s really happening somewhere out there.

Animals in distress have a way of tugging at the heartstrings, and this story is no exception. An Old English Sheepdog named Cocos was rescued from a neglectful environment where he was subjected to abuse for a year. He lived with his original owner in Russia his entire life, but sadly the man passed away at age 79.

Relatives inherited the dog but were busy squabbling over the inheritance. None were interested in the dog’s care, and left him locked alone in an apartment with barely enough food and water to get by. The rest of Coco’s needs were never tended to, including regular walks, bathing, grooming, or exercise.

Rescuers were contacted when the relatives were ready to sell the apartment, and what they found was traumatic. The dog’s fur was severely matted, and caked with feces and urine to the point the poor pooch could barely breathe. Cocos’ soiled coat weighed several pounds! One of the rescue workers, Vitaly Kornilova, recounted the incident:

“He could barely walk, and was in a pitiful state. Relatives called us to take him away because they decided they wanted to sell the flat now that the inheritance paperwork [had] been completed.

They said they had kept the dog to guard the flat against vandals but now wanted to get rid of it. Six people spent three hours trimming Cocos fur, filling four 100 liter bags with dog hair. After that, Cocos’ teeth were thoroughly cleaned.”

Cocos was actually renamed by the rescuers as the relatives didn’t even know his name. The team that cared for him discovered underneath all that matted fur were sores and abscesses that required medical treatment. This particular breed requires constant grooming as they are prone to matting and related infections after a few weeks. To think Cocos was living this way for an entire year is horrifying.

Trapped under all that messy fur was a sweet-spirited and cute doggie. Fortunately, after his thorough cleaning, Cocos was sent to live with a local expert in bobtail breeds. Elena Rivvos adopted him and he received special care to help with his recovery. He’s also receiving lots of love, attention, and exercise!

Cocos’ story had a happy ending after so much suffering, but sadly many animals are neglected and abused just as he was. But now he has been restored to his former handsome Sheepdog self, and able to receive care that was similar to what his old owner used to provide.

It’s amazing what a bit of love and TLC can do to transform an animal’s life after years of cruelty. Thanks to this special team of animal rescuers, Cocos and others like him have a chance at recovery. What are your thoughts about Cocos’ situation? Have you ever adopted a pet that suffered from abuse? Tell us in the comments!