“Some of them immediately started wagging their tails …”
In November of 2024, the folks at Alaqua Animal Refuge (AAR) received a heartbreaking message unlike anything they’d ever seen. The Florida-based rescue group is used to saving animals from dire situations, but these images of nine matted poodles rescued from a backyard breeder made their stomachs churn.
“The level of neglect was shocking, even for us,” Laurie Hood, AAR’s founder and CEO, told The Dodo. “Their fur was so severely matted that some could barely move … it was clear they had been suffering in silence for a long time.”
The AAR crew rushed to the dogs’ aid, shuttling them directly to their veterinary clinic. After ensuring the dogs were healthy enough for general anesthesia, the veterinary team began the labor-intensive and painstaking task of shaving off the pups’ fur, one twisted mat at a time.
“It took our dedicated medical team an entire day to shave just … two pups,” AAR wrote on Facebook. “Each of them was carrying between 6-8 pounds of painful mats, which is more than [10 percent] of their body weight.”
Seaside and Topsail were the first two pups to be shaved, and their relief was palpable. While the team worked on shaving the remaining seven dogs, Seaside and Topsail enjoyed their first moments of freedom without their dreaded coats.
Hours later, all nine dogs were fully shaved and completely transformed. Together, the pups lost 51.4 pounds of matted fur and gained a lifetime of confidence.
“As soon as the heavy mats were removed, you could see a change in them. Some of them immediately started wagging their tails, while others took off running, as if they were realizing for the first time that they could stretch and walk without pain,” Hood said. “One of the dogs … seemed a little embarrassed at first, almost as if they weren’t sure what to make of their hairless self. But within minutes, they were rolling around, shaking off the past, and clearly realizing just how good it felt to finally be free from all that weight and discomfort.”
The dogs, Alys, Seaside, Henderson, Rosemary, Topsail, Blue Mountain, Dune Allen, Watercolor and Grayton, were nearly unrecognizable after their shocking makeovers. Their rescue team was elated to see them run and play together, enjoying their newfound freedom.
“It was an emotional process, not just for the dogs, but for our entire team,” Hood said. “The relief they must have felt was immeasurable, and watching them take those first comfortable steps was incredibly rewarding.”
The freshly shaven dogs settled in for their first comfortable night’s sleep in months while the rescue team worked on finding their perfect foster homes. It wasn’t long before all nine pups matched with their ideal temporary families, and they soon learned what it felt like to have a loving home.
It’s been four months since their rescue, and all nine poodles have officially gone to their adoptive homes, just as the AAR team had hoped.
The poodles’ story, while heartbreaking at the beginning, is one of success. It is a beacon of hope that the AAR team carries with them as they continue their mission of saving neglected pets and educating the public.
“Backyard breeding and puppy mills continue to put profit over animal welfare, leading to heartbreaking neglect like what these poodles endured,” Hood said. “Beyond rescue, we advocate for stronger animal welfare laws, educate the public about responsible pet ownership and provide sanctuary for animals who have nowhere else to go.”
As the folks at AAR continue saving animals, they are constantly reminded of the group of poodles and their incredible resilience. While they wish the pups had never been neglected in the first place, the AAR team is honored to have been the ones to change their lives.
“After everything they endured, they are now thriving as beloved pets,” Hood said. “Their transformations from neglected and scared to happy and cherished are exactly why we do this work.”
