All dogs deserve a chance at love and happiness, no matter what they look like. Some dogs have medical issues that can make their appearance a bit hard to handle at first, but they still have hearts of gold on the inside.
That’s certainly the case for the stray dog Phoenix, who was left with a disfigurement so severe that people couldn’t believe it was real—but thanks to his boundless spirit and a team of dedicated rescuers, he’s inspired thousands on his road to a better life.
In 2020, a stray dog was found in Collinsville, Oklahoma, and rescued by a woman named Carisa Ducharne. She was shocked by the dog’s condition—he was severely disfigured at the face for an unknown reason.
He was skin and bones,” Carisa told News on 6. “You could see all his ribs and just so inflamed that he couldn’t close his eyes. He had so much swelling and inflammation in his face.”
The dog was named Phoenix, and he was brought to Skiatook Paws & Claws Animal Shelter.
When they shared his story on Facebook, people couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
“We received a ton of criticism for posting Phoenix’s picture,” the shelter wrote. “Many thought we had photoshopped his picture.
But it was all too real—although the reason behind Phoenix’s condition wasn’t clear. He was cared for by Family Animal Medicine who searched for the cause.
Given how so many dogs are mistreated, it’s easy to assume his disfigurement was due to abuse. While vets didn’t rule that possibility out, they began to suspect that it was actually due to a medical disease.
While investigating his health, the shelter made sure Phoenix felt at home. Despite how he looks, Phoenix was not suffering and enjoyed his new life.
“Phoenix is warm and comfortable; his belly is full, and he is being well cared for,” the vets said. “Even though his appearance may be alarming, the scarring and disfiguration are not indicative of his quality of life.
