When 17 severely neglected dogs were rescued from a hoarding situation and brought to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, it was clear they had endured years of hardship. Buried under pounds of matted, filthy fur, many of them could barely walk — let alone be recognized as the beautiful dogs they were.

“This was by far the worst case of matting I’ve ever seen,” said Jenny Dolan, a senior lifesaving care specialist at the sanctuary. “We see dogs come in with mats often, but this was next level.”

Among the group was a gentle Labradoodle named Crawfish, who immediately captured Dolan’s heart with his calm, affectionate nature. Despite his past, Crawfish wasn’t fearful — just weighed down, literally and emotionally, by years of neglect.

The mats covering Crawfish’s body were so thick, he could hardly move. Even standing took effort, and his face was nearly impossible to see.

Determined to give him relief, Dolan and her team carefully got to work. Hours later, the transformation was incredible — under the mass of fur was a beautiful, light brown dog with the sweetest face and an even sweeter smile.

“We didn’t even know what he looked like,” Dolan said. “But once he was shaved, it was like he could finally breathe.”

What surprised Dolan most wasn’t just Crawfish’s appearance, but how quickly his playful spirit emerged. Free from the weight of neglect, he was ready to explore a world that had been closed off to him for so long.

“He’s incredibly affectionate,” she said. “He just lit up.”

Crawfish had a lot of catching up to do. He had to learn how to walk on a leash, ride in a car, lie on a soft bed — even eating treats was new to him.

“I gave him a biscuit and he crunched it the wrong way,” Dolan laughed. “Most of it fell on the ground, but he was just so thrilled he got a treat.”

Every experience was a discovery, and Crawfish approached each one with the excitement of a pup starting fresh.

“He had this attitude like, ‘I have no idea what I’m doing, but I love it,’” Dolan said. “Every day was the best day of his life.”

And then came the best day of all: Crawfish was adopted into a loving forever home.

“For the last five months, he’s really come into his own,” said his adopter, Gavin. “He’s happy, goofy, and thriving.”

These days, Crawfish spends his time doing what he loves most — lounging on soft beds and enjoying plenty of treats, finally living the life every dog deserves.

To support more happy endings like Crawfish’s, you can donate to Best Friends Animal Society here.