A dog who arrived at Hope Rescue with long, matted fur has been completely transformed into an adorable little shih tzu.
The dog, Penguin, first arrived at Hope Rescue in Llanharan a couple of weeks ago after a member of the public found him as a stray.
Penguin’s fur was matted and he was unhappy and uncomfortable.
As with all strays Hope Rescue takes in, Penguin was advertised on its Facebook page and asked for an owner to come forward, and one did.
Read more: Dog's fur so matted Welsh rescue team couldn't recognise his breed
However, it was eventually decided it was best for him to move into the ownership of the rescue centre so he could get the help and attention he needed.
The overgrown fur was such a problem that poor Penguin had to be sedated during the clipping process.
He also started medication for a water infection and needs rotten teeth removed.
The full cost of Penguin’s treatment will come to between £700 and £800.
Hope Rescue has since issued an exciting update about him and yesterday posted pictures where he looks like a completely different dog.
It read: ”As it is #givingTuesday we wanted to give you all a very special update on the lovely shih tzu Penguin who came into our care recently with an extremely matted coat.
“He was sedated at the vets to have his much needed clip and is now feeling so much better.
“So much so, that he didn’t want to stay still for long for us to take his photo.
“Thank you so much to everyone that donated and sent love to this boy.”
Supporters rushed to the comments to praise Hope Rescue for the astonishing transformation on the Facebook post which has nearly 1,000 likes and over 100 comments.
One said: “Oh my goodness just look at you Penguin, what a handsome little dog hiding under that matted coat.
“You are going to look fabulous in a few weeks when your coat has grown slightly longer.
“In the best place now and fingers crossed for a loving forever home for you in the near future.
“So concerned for this little dog, this post has made my day. Well done Hope Rescue.”
Another said: “Wow what a transformation.
“You’ve done a wonderful job helping this lovely boy.”
A third said: “How gorgeous does he look now. You would never have recognised him from the dog that first arrived so badly matted. Just brilliant.”
Penguin is the second shih tzu Hope Rescue has rescued and given a new lease of life in the past few months.
Back in September, the rescue centre took in a four-year-old dog with fur so matted it was impossible to tell his breed .
After a gruelling five hours of clipping through the dog’s matted coat, the staff discovered he was also a shih tzu.
Shih tzus have thick coats made up of a dense outer coat and a softer inner coat, which is why they tend to mat easily.
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