Dog rescuers all over the States deal with countless cases of severe neglect on a daily basis. Whether they are dumped in horrible conditions, left on the street with no food and water, or tied and kept outside their whole life – the rescuers have seen it all!

Still, cases like Astrid’s make no one impartial and emotionally uninvested.

This New York girl arrived at the shelter as a matted dog with overgrown nails and shocked absolutely everyone.

This is her story!

Vague History

Astrid was brought to Animal Haven – the New York City-based rescue, by an unknown person who claimed no ownership of her. According to him, this dog’s owner passed away and Astrid was left with no one to take care of her.

Still, the major part of her past was quite vague, especially considering the fact that Astrid was surrendered in such a bad condition.

“She is in terrible shape and, based off her appearance, was most likely severely neglected,” the AH team wrote on Facebook.

She was evidently neglected for the most part of her life. She was completely matted and covered in filth, and her nails were so long and overgrown that it was almost impossible for her to walk normally. Given her behavior at the shelter (she was spinning in circles), the staff assumed that she was kept in a small, confined space.

They immediately subjected her to the vet where she was initially assessed for other conditions. Then, the team gave her a bath, and what turned out to be a life-changing grooming session!

The Pawfect Transformation It only took one long grooming session for Astrid to start coming out of her shell and transform into a brand-new dog! Once she was all clean and sharp, her caregivers swaddled her in a cozy jacket, and that’s when her true personality started to show. She already felt a lot more comfortable around her caregivers, even though she still needed time to completely relax.

One of the volunteers, Mindy Liu, decided to take Astrid into her home and foster her until she was ready to go into a forever home. Mindy already had three other dogs – the small breeds – Hanzo Blade of Steel, Kiddo, and Chinta – who welcomed Astrid with paws wide open!

At first, Astrid was quite reserved as she wasn’t used to receiving any attention or hanging out with other dogs. She showed little interest in other dogs, too, even though she wasn’t afraid of them. Astrid still had difficulties walking, and she always acted as a little observer from the corner. Eventually, things started to change – for the better!

Within weeks, this tiny little girl started to display her wonderful personality. She completely adapted to a pack and became one of the “Fantastic Four!” She enjoyed stroller rides around the city very much, as well as her cuddle sessions indoors.