In the United States, homeless animals outnumber homeless people 5 to 1. Nearly 4 million dogs are entered into the shelter system every year.
Around the world, there is an overwhelming number of animals living on the streets. In Croatia, there are only a small number of shelters that are actually valid and meant to save these street animals.
There is an issue, according to Animal Friends Croatia, where “the majority of registered shelters for abandoned animals are actually former veterinary-sanitary services (the so-called pounds) or veterinary stations, which do not meet the requirements prescribed by law and by-laws.”
One little dog was found on the streets of Croatia and his face scared quite a few people.
There isn’t much known about Frodo’s life before he was found. It was unclear to his rescuers if he’d been a stray his whole life or if he was a dog that had been abused.
When he was found, Frodo was emaciated, covered in mange, and full of fleas and ticks. One of his eyes was swollen from an untreated infection.
To say everyone was surprised by his appearance would be an understatement.
His rescuers reached out to a veteran animal caretaker and rescuer, Klaudija Sigurnjak, to see if she could assist in Frodo’s care.
“I was stunned. I could hardly believe it was really a dog,” Klaudija said when she was interviewed by The Dodo. “I immediately set about rescuing him.”
She was able to win Frodo’s trust after offering him some food. The poop pup was clearly in need of a good meal!
Frodo needed to be taken to see a veterinarian right away to get his mange, fleas, and ticks treated. His eyes were also a major concern.
At first, Klaudija was afraid that Frodo wouldn’t make it because of his medical concerns and how skinny he was.
A doctor determined that one of his eyes was too infected to be saved, while the other could be taken care of with medication. They then removed the worse of the two eyes.
Frodo had no problem proving to everyone that he was a fighter. He wasn’t going to let a missing eye keep him down!
Slowly but surely, Frodo started to recover. The areas where his mange was started to heal and his fur began to grow back.
“His transformation was phenomenal,” his rescuer said to The Dodo. “We never dreamt that he would be so beautiful.”
After Frodo had fully recovered and proved to be a spunky little boy, he was put up for adoption.
It did not take long for him to find a new forever home!
Frodo was adopted by Marko Duspara and his wife after they fell in love with him when they first saw him online.
“I honestly can’t imagine what happened to him back then. I am thankful to everyone who helped him be saved,” Marko told The Dodo. “He is now a happy dog that knows he is loved and that if he plays his cards right he will get whatever he wants.”
Nowadays, Frodo is lifting weights and looking good! His favorite activity for fun is running around.
That, and being a social media superstar!
One of Frodo’s recovery updates on Facebook had this adorable caption:
I’m Frodo. I lost my eye in the last gang attack from the upper city. Now I train to get revenge on them…
Thank goodness Frodo was found when he was! Any later and this story might have had a much sadder ending. He was also found by the right people because he was able to get the medical care he desperately needed.
Doesn’t he look amazing now?
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