He Was Covered In So Much Fur No One Knew If He Was A Cat Or A Dog?

Ajay | May 20, 2019 | Videos

When PETA rescuers first rescued him, they really didn’t know what to make of him. Was he a dog, a cat, or something completely different?

What species he was hidden under at least 7 pounds of severely matted, tangled, overgrown fur.

What was certain was that he was a he, so he was given the name Murphy. The severely neglected creature was found alone, locked up in a disgustingly filthy crate. He could not run, play or even socialize with other animals, or people for that matter.

What was immediately obvious was what was now known to be a dog needed all that overgrown fur off his body as soon as possible. But once they opened the crate it was clear the poor animal was not even allowed out to go the bathroom and was covered in his own excrement.

Lacking other options, staff rushed the poor dog to an animal shelter, where veterinarians were forced to sedate the poor creature in order to cut away his excess fur. (PETA volunteers had already tried to do this, but found even a razor couldn’t cut away the dog’s massive tangles).

When he was all cleaned up, Murphy was a completely different animal. The hospital had removed 2 full pounds of fur, which is quite a bit for a 7-pound dog! But he also appeared to be smiling too, like he knew he’d finally escaped his life of suffering and abuse.

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!