Is There A Dog Under There? Shocking Before/After Makeover for Neglected Dogs (ICYMI)

This post was first published on April 14, 2015.

By CHRIS GAUDET (Patch Staff)

See more photos.

When three dogs were dropped off at Prince William County’s animal shelter, they were barely recognizable as dogs due to their long, matted hair.

The three Shih Tzus, whom shelter workers named Marley, Rita and Ziggy, had fur that was so severely matted that they could not walk or relieve themselves, according to the shelter’s Facebook page. The long matted and chorded hair smelled so strongly of urine and feces that it was hard to breathe around them.

The hearts of the shelter’s staff went out to these three neglected dogs. Shih Tzus require grooming every six weeks, but Marley, Rita and Ziggy had obviously not been trimmed for months.

To be trimmed, Marley had to be put under sedation at an animal hospital, where several pounds of hair were removed. Rita and Ziggy were groomed at the shelter using a mild sedative and garden shears to break through the rock-hard mats of fur.

Today, thanks to the shelter’s care, all three dogs are happy and healthy. To see some more before and after photos on the Animal Shelter’s Facebook page, click here.