Some animals arrive at shelters in heartbreaking condition, but with a little love their lives can totally turn around.

That was the case for one neglected dog, who was found nearly starving to death, but in the weeks since has been making incredible strides.

In September, the South Suburban Humane Society, in Illinois, took in a severely emaciated dog named Pumpkin. He was first found by a local resident who thought he was dying and brought him to the police.

Emily Klehm, CEO of the South Suburban Humane Society, told Newsweek that while they rescue many dogs, Pumpkin’s was an “extreme case” that left them speechless. “He was severely emaciated and unable to walk,” she said.

Photos show how unbelievably thin the dog was — it’s a miracle he survived at all.

Vets administered fluids and shaved his matted fur. Despite the rough start, he started to perk up and went into foster care with one of the shelter employees.

“Thankfully, we got him into foster care, where he is starting to improve and stand on his own again,” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “His journey is still long, but we are incredibly proud of him so far.”

Updates from the shelter show the remarkable improvement Pumpkin has made in just a short time. While he was unable to stand when they first found him, he can now walk around the yard on his own, wagging his tail.

“This little man is so strong and getting better every single day,” the shelter wrote.

Though he’s still visibly thin, he has been slowly regaining weight. “This little man is progressing, and we cannot wait to see how much more he continues to improve!” South Suburban Humane Society wrote.

Pumpkin’s backstory is still unclear, but the shelter says he will be placed up for adoption once he gets medical clearance.

“Pumpkin will need a home that understands that he was severely neglected,” Klehm told Newsweek. “He doesn’t know how to be a dog, so everything from leash walking to toys are all new experiences for him. An experienced dog family would be best.”

In the meantime, he’s doing well and loves his foster home.

It’s heartbreaking that Pumpkin was neglected for so long, but we’re so glad he’s doing well and regaining weight — we hope he finds a forever home soon when he’s ready!

Please share this story if you love dogs!

Journalists hear meowing from under their car — save a scared kitten during Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton caused widespread devastation in Florida and there are many people still affected, but there are some heartwarming stories in the aftermath that give us all hope.

Like this sweet story of a scared kitten who was found hiding under a car by two journalists, and is now in safe hands.

Two journalists from the Washington DC area, photographer David Barcenas and reporter Christopher Salas, were dispatched to Florida to cover Hurricane Milton. There on the scene, they picked up an unexpected new member of their crew.

While the two were parked outside an evacuation center, someone told them they heard meowing coming from their vehicle. The journalists stopped to investigate, and discovered a kitten, taking shelter from the storm under their car.

They picked up the cat and brought her into the safety of their vehicle, dried her with a towel and picked her up some tuna to snack on.

“I have two cats back home,” Barcenas told The Washington Post. “I wasn’t about to shoo her away.”

“We’re a three man crew now,” Salas joked on Twitter. The pair named their new kitten friend “Millie,” and she quickly became a favorite online, dubbed #HurricaneCat.

The cat appeared to be health and well-fed, which made them think she might have a home, but a trip to the animal hospital revealed no microchip.

#Hurricanecat update:

Millie is an adult female cat we found up near FGCU near Ft.Myers FL. I dropped her off at the Blue Pearl Pet Hospital where they confirmed she does not have a microchip. Docs say she does not seem to be feral and is well mannered meaning she may have… pic.twitter.com/Il8AdwDZMV

— David Barcenas (@brcns_david) October 10, 2024

With no information about her background, Millie was taken in by an animal shelter in Lee County. They are waiting to see if anyone claims her — but if no one does, she has a new home already lined up: Barcenas filed an application to adopt Millie if she isn’t claimed, and plans to bring her back to DC with him.

It would be a heartwarming ending to the story if Millie got adopted by her rescuer, but she might have a family out there looking for her, so we’ll have to wait and see. We will update this story if there is any further word.

Either way, Barcenas told the Post that he was “happy to have found a new friend on the road.”

Thank you to these two journalists for rescuing sweet Millie! She definitely picked the right car to take shelter under, and we’re glad she is safe!