Dogs and cats who are abused and abandoned by their owners who love them dearly is heartbreaking.

Nevertheless, sometimes the animals who have suffered the greatest damage end up having the best outcome. They have been able to survive difficult circumstances to live happy lives with their loving families.  

This was the case for Duke, a 10-month-old dog that was chained to an old truck outside of town and left to starve by his owner. The owner didn’t want Duke anymore and dumped him like trash because he was diseased and someone called him untouchable.

Duke was severely malnourished and weak after going without food and water for 10 days.

Duke was severely malnourished and weak after going without food and water for 10 days.

He had fleas all over his body.

He was malnourished and abused, resulting in broken legs.

“It was a real shock when the vet said this was trauma to his feet,” Rowles tells The Dodo. “ The ligaments in his feet were nonexistent. Bones were just floating about in his feet.”

Rowles took Doke home, since the group’s shelter was full.

“He was OK when I approached him initially. But you could see that fear in the way he moved and the way he backed away for those first few weeks,” Rowles says. “He really made an attachment with my wife Diane. He just loved Diane.”

Duke’s legs became non-wobbly after he had surgery to fix his feet. He learned to trust humans again and started to warm up to his new loving environment. An amazing thing also happened – the sweetest woman in England adopted him.

Now that Duke has a loving home and beautiful feet, he has a happy ending!