Murphy was found by PETA rescuers, who weren’t quite sure what to make of the animal wrapped in matted fur. Was it a canine? Was there another cause? Because of the animal’s concealment behind many pounds of matted fur, no one could be certain.

The poor critter had obviously been severely mistreated in his brief existence, kept in a dirty container by himself, unable to run, play, or interact with humans or other animals.

Clearly, the dog was in urgent need of a trip to the groomers, but as staff opened up his dirty crate, they realized another pressing health issue. Apparently, the pup hadn’t even been allowed to take bathroom breaks. When volunteers opened his cage, they saw the poor animal was also covered in his own waste.

Without any other alternatives, they hurried the poor dog to an animal shelter, where vets were obliged to put him under anesthesia so they could trim off his superfluous fur. (PETA volunteers had earlier attempted to accomplish this but were unsuccessful because of the dog’s huge tangles.)

Murphy was an entirely different person once he had been cleaned up. For a dog that weighs 7 pounds, the hospital had taken 2 full pounds of fur! He seemed to be grinning, though, as if he realized that his life of misery and torture was now over.

Murphy spent the following week playing with staff at PETA’s Virginia shelter, where staff was determined to let this little pup run, play, and shower him with affection. After some much-needed R&R, Murphy was transferred to a larger shelter, which is where he met his new pet parents. We’re so happy Murphy finally got the happy ending he deserves!

Watch Murphy’s amazing transformation in the video below!