In Houston, Texas, one little girl’s love for a dog she had never met changed his life forever.
Scrolling through Facebook a few months ago, she and her mom, Michelle, stumbled across photos of a tiny, mange-covered puppy named Scratchy. He looked fragile and sick, but to them, he was absolutely precious.
When they read that Scratchy had been placed on the euthanasia list at his shelter because of his severe skin condition, the girl’s heart shattered. She begged her mom to help him.
Michelle immediately began searching for Scratchy, determined to save him. But shelter details were unclear, and for days, she hit dead ends.
Her daughter kept asking, over and over: What happened to Scratchy? Each time, Michelle could only answer, “I’m still looking.”
Then came the breakthrough — Scratchy had been pulled from the shelter by Three Little Pitties Rescue. He was safe, and already receiving medical treatment.
Michelle quickly volunteered to foster him. She picked Scratchy up, settled him into their home, and decided to keep the news a secret until her daughter returned from school.
That afternoon, when the little girl walked in and saw Scratchy waiting, she froze. Then, overcome with relief, she dropped to the floor, tears streaming down her face as Scratchy eagerly climbed into her arms.
“[She] cared so deeply all week about a little mangy dog,” Three Little Pitties Rescue shared. “And her sense of relief getting to hold him was everything.”
Scratchy immediately began licking the tears from her cheeks — as if to say thank you. It was love at first sight.
You can watch that emotional moment here:
“Pure, deep, love at first sight,” Three Little Pitties Rescue wrote.
Since that day, Scratchy has been living like royalty in his foster home. He spends his days chasing balls, playing tug-of-war, and soaking up endless snuggles from his foster siblings. His skin has healed beautifully, and his spirit has bloomed.
“This puppy is being treated like a king in his foster home while he heals up,” Three Little Pitties wrote. “He is being celebrated for his life and who he is!”
Once out of time, Scratchy now has a whole future ahead of him — thanks to a little girl who refused to give up.
Scratchy is currently available for adoption through Three Little Pitties Rescue. If you’d like to give him a forever home, you can visit their adoption page here. To help dogs like Scratchy, donations to the rescue can be made here.
