“Seeing him now, it’s hard to believe he’s the same dog.”
Wandering through a village in Bali, Indonesia, a scared dog tried his best to survive alone. With no one caring for him, the pup’s coat had slowly withered away. His hair stood out in patches against his blotchy skin.
When a resident named Ben spotted the pup, he couldn’t help but feel heartbroken.
“He was malnourished, scared and covered in fleas,” Ben said in a video for The Dodo. “He would run away in fear.”
With the help of a neighbor, Ben began feeding the dog, gaining his trust. The pup’s scrawny frame began filling out as he happily munched on the meals.
“Day by day we saw him improve … inching closer to his recovery,” Ben said. “It was a heartwarming transformation to witness.”
After three weeks of improvement, the dog mysteriously vanished. Ben circulated a poster through the village, hopeful that someone might find him.
“Despite my efforts, there was no sign of him,” Ben said.
One night, Ben finally received a call. The dog had been found over a mile away. Better yet, the pup had miraculously located his original home.
Ben learned the dog’s real name was Bojess, and he had a loving family who’d missed him for months.
“It was awe inspiring to see that once he regained his health and spirit, [he] made such a journey,” Ben said.
Safe with the ones he trusted most, Bojess continued to recover. Eventually, he regained his full, fluffy coat, much to Ben’s surprise.
“Seeing him now, it’s hard to believe he’s the same dog,” Ben said.
Ben remains close with Bojess’ family and visits the pup all the time. He’s so glad to have played a part in this surprising, satisfying rescue story.
“Life is unpredictable,” Ben said. “You never know when you’ll have a chance to make a difference.”
