They rescued severely matted dog that looked like ‘prehistoric creature’ with ‘six legs’. See him after losing 6.5 lbs of hair

Beneath a mountain of matted fur, a forgotten dog was waiting to be seen.

PUBLISHED 2 DAYS AGO

(L) A neglected dog lying on the floor, (R) Man giving his pet dog a haircut. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Adam Bartosik, (R) Sally Anscombe)

An animal shelter took in an extraordinary case of a severely matted dog and documented his grooming journey. When the pup first arrived, his overgrown fur concealed his true appearance, with lumps of hair covering his eyes and ears. Even his paws were hidden under the fur, while massive mats morphed into limb-like structures as he struggled to walk. The Dodo (@TheDodo) covered the pup’s story under the care of his rescuers, the KC Pet Project, on YouTube. His bizarre appearance drew reactions of shock and empathy, and his journey amassed nearly 3 million views.

A small dog face is hidden by the masses of fur covering its face. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images |Groomee) — A small dog face is hidden by the masses of fur covering its face. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Groomee)

“He sort of looked like a prehistoric creature. Looked like he had six legs,” one of the rescuers was heard saying. Despite his condition, the dog remained curious about his new surroundings, exploring the shelter while weighed down by the heavy mats. Meanwhile, the rescuers felt it was “heartbreaking” to see him walk around like that. Tori from the KC Pet Project revealed that when they rescued the pup in Kansas City, Missouri, he was “very hot” because he struggled to regulate his own body temperature and could not walk properly. “We have seen a lot of matted cases. Simon is definitely up there with one of the worst ones that we’ve ever seen,” she divulged.

Poodle with tangled hair. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | RobertoDavid)

Noting his extremely matted fur, the rescuers did not hesitate to groom Simon thoroughly and restore him to his original glory. Thus began the “tedious” task of trimming out all his fur. A staff member carefully trimmed a lump of matted hair from Simon’s face and realized it was actually concealing his entire ear. Two hours later, the trimming process ended with a basket full of hair weighing 6.5 pounds, which Tori noted was a “significant amount” for a dog of that size. The staff were surprised to see Simon’s fresh new look. After a bubbly bath, Simon was as good as new and ready to explore the world around him.

The owner's love for his border collie dog in the dog grooming salon. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images |Lourdes Balduque) — The owner's love for his border collie in the dog grooming salon. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Lourdes Balduque)

The pup immediately connected with the rescue workers during his stay at the hospital for medical checkups. “He’s sort of like his own man. He loves to explore.” Simon showcased great progress as he healed with every passing day at the shelter. “It took him a long time just to learn how to really walk again normally,” a rescuer noted. One of the members even took him home for the weekend, so Simon did not have to stay alone at the shelter. There, he bonded with another dog, a Boxer, and licked him to show his affection.

Eventually, potential adopters stepped in and were impressed by Simon’s quirky personality. He enjoyed scratches from the adopters and they ultimately decided to take him home. The rescuers were overjoyed for Simon as the pup was set to begin afresh in a happy new family. “He just looked happy as a cucumber,” Tori shared. They were filled with gratitude for the adopters and Simon’s journey from a matted dog who could barely walk to a happy pup.

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