Texas Shelter Shares Before and After Photos of Formerly Emaciated Dog to Show the Power of Love

Under the loving eye of his new forever home, Rocco the rescue dog has doubled his weight and learned new skills

Rocco's transformation is a sight to behold, and the love of the dog's new family made it possible.

On Tuesday, the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) posted on Facebook about the remarkable recovery of one of its former residents.

Rocco arrived under ACS's care in October after rescuers from the Texas shelter received a call about the canine and another dog.

"At the end of October, our team responded to an urgent 3-1-1 call regarding a pair of paper-thin dogs needing help. Upon arrival, they found that both dogs were skin and bones, and the white one, Rocco, couldn't bark without falling over due to how weak he was. After speaking with nearby neighbors, it seemed that the dogs had been left alone for over a week," ACS wrote on social media about Rocco's origins.

According to the post, the shelter contacted Rocco's original owner, who could no longer care for the two dogs, and had the pets officially surrendered to ACS.

 

A photo in the shelter's Tuesday Facebook post shows Rocco when he first arrived at the facility. In the shot, labeled "before," Rocco is emaciated, with his ribs and spine visible through his fur.

The post also has a picture of Rocco labeled "after," which shows the canine after he was adopted. In this photo, relaxed Rocco naps with a new family member while looking to be a healthy weight.

Per ACS, Rocco found a home after a woman — called Ms. P by the shelter — spotted a photo of the dog online and "felt drawn to him."

"Her previous senior pup had passed away in August, and she didn't feel ready to add another dog to her family until she saw Rocco. After seeing his photo, Ms. P loaded up her family and arrived at ACS as soon as our doors opened," the shelter wrote of Rocco's adoption story, adding that Ms. P and her family "fell in love before the ink could dry on their adoption application."

"Now double the weight he was when he was first brought to ACS, Rocco is living the life of a spoiled house pup! The P family quickly discovered that Rocco is deaf and communicates with him using sign language. He's picking up on basic house manners and loves cuddling with his family," ACS shared in their Facebook post about Rocco.

The shelter concluded its transformation story with a thank you to Rocco's new family for opening their hearts to a senior dog with special needs. ACS also added in the comments that Skye, the dog Rocco was found with, "has had an incredible body condition transformation and is available for adoption through God's Dogs Rescue."