A dog that was buried alive and left to die on a beach in Hawaii has found a new home after staging a remarkable recovery.
Rescuers saved the terrified animal in the nick of time after it was found underneath a mound of sand near a West Oahu beach on July 9, 2019.
She was rushed to a nearby animal shelter where vets treated the young animal for sunburn and dehydration.
Her condition was so bad they found that she was “bleeding from every inch of her body” and was missing 90% of her fur.
“This beautiful girl was found by one of our team members,” animal rescue group PAWS of Hawaii wrote on their Facebook page. “Someone had just buried he and they had a machete so who knows what was next.”
“Severe sunburn, lesions, swollen limbs in her extremities, that is a sign of being very dehydrated and very poor care,” veterinarian Dr. Kelly Dowdall-Garberson told KITV 4 .
“Her skin, if you were able to smell her, is rancid because she has so many open sores that are infected,” Ku’ulei Durand, PAWS of Hawaii’s executive director added.
“The man who buried her, we were led to believe, had started to cut her.
"He felt he was ending her suffering by trying to end her life instead of getting her the help she needed.”
The dog was named Leialoha - or “beloved child” - by her rescuers has since been adopted by an animal lover who was deeply moved by her plight.
Her new family have committed to sharing regular updates about Leialoha' recovery.
Foster mum Amanda said: “My heart was broken and I knew she needed us to foster her"
Pictures show how Leialoha looking unrecognisable with her coat now fully grown back.
“Last night,” Amanda explained, “she came out while we had friends over to see what was for dinner, and has been liking being under the coffee table. She has a long way to go, but the worst is over.”
In August, local police have issued an appeal to track down the dog's abusers - but have not yet found anyone in connection with the crime.
