He hardly looks like a dog in the before photos - matted, dreadlocked, blinded in one eye, the very manifestation of neglect and lack of love.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But this little dog, found in a yard in Canberra, proved to be made of tough stuff.
He was discovered on January 10 by RSPCA ACT inspectors who had received a call about a badly-matted dog being kept in an overgrown yard on the northside.
His owners surrendered him into the inspectors' care and he was taken straight to the RSPCA ACT vet clinic.
Vet Sarah Pilbeam remembers before she even saw the dog, she smelt him.
"His giant mop of dirty hair oozed a strong repugnant smell," she said.
"He was placed upon the stainless steel examination room table where he tried to roll his body into a small defensive ball - frightened and hiding from the world."
The hair around his left eye was so matted, it had blinded him. It was among the worst cases Dr Pilbeam had seen.
The severe matting had also prevented moisture and oxygen from reaching the skin, creating open sores.
"[It was] like the weight of his sadness was so heavy he could barely move," she said.
The removal of the hair and built-up dirt, grass seeds and faeces took almost an hour. His left eye had to be also removed some days later.
"During his recovery I could instantly tell that he was slowly becoming the dog he was always meant to be," Dr Pilbeam said.
"Without the pain of his eye and the weight of his fur, this once cowering dog was coming out of his shell. His exuberance and smile was utterly infectious."
The little dog was called Lochie. And he was adopted into a loving family on February 4.
His story is reminiscent of that of Chris the sheep, the overgrown sheep found wandering at Mulligans Flat in September, 2015, although Chris appeared more lost than deliberately neglected.The RSPCA ACT also took him under its wing, removing a record-breaking more than 40 kilos of wool and finding him a new home.
Lochie the dog has also become the new face of a fundraising campaign for the RSPCA ACT, with people asked to make a regular gift to ensure its work continues.
"Our job is never done," Dr Pilbeam said.
"We see so many animals come into the shelter needing care.
"What keeps us going back each morning is the knowledge that everyday we're making an impact."
