After being dragged behind a truck, one dog is now on the long road to recovery thanks to the kindness of strangers on the Hawaiian island of Maui.
Last week, the owners of Goliath, a pit bull, drove away from the beach without realizing their dog was still tied to the back of their truck. The rope broke off after a mile and half, finally freeing a bloodied Goliath who limped away.
Witnesses immediately called a local nonprofit rescue organization for help.
"When we first found him, he was in shock," Dennis Burns of Valley Isle Animal Rescue told The Huffington Post. The dog had lost more than half of the skin on his right side and belly and three of his paws were ground down to the bone -- but he was still breathing.
WARNING: The photos below are graphic.
"He took a pretty big hit," Burns said. "If it had not been a strong breed dog like that, he might have not survived."
Burns took the dog to the Central Maui Animal Clinic where he underwent surgery. There, Burns and the veterinarians came up with a more fitting name for the 6-year-old dog: Tuff Guy.
The dog's owners didn't realize their mistake until the next morning. They called the animal rescue thinking their dog had simply gone missing at the beach -- but when Burns gave them the news, they were devastated.
"When I told them what happened, they started crying. They were worried about their dog," Burns told HuffPost. "They don't have a lot of money right now, and neither do we, but we weren't going to let that dog die."
Jessica Ann Lillis, the owners' daughter, told HuffPost that her father turned himself in at the police station. According to Maui News, the 56-year-old man was cited with second-degree animal cruelty.
"My parents loved Goliath like he was their child," Lillis told HuffPost. "They gave him everything he needed to be happy, healthy and loved."
The owners have ceded their ownership to Burns, who is currently overseeing the dog's care at the Central Maui Animal Clinic.
On Monday, the 6-year-old Tuff Guy was strong enough to go for a walk outside, proving just how tough he can be.
After Valley Isle Animal Rescue shared the story of Tuff Guy's accident on Facebook, the community in Maui and beyond began sending donations to cover the pit bull's medical expenses. So far, they've surpassed their goal, raising nearly $9,000.
But, according to the clinic, Tuff Guy still has a long road ahead of him.
"So far the outlook is good ... he will pull through this horrible incident and make his way to a loving forever family someday," Central Maui Animal Clinic wrote on its Facebook page.
"This will be a long healing process, but he is getting LOTS of love from staff and veterinarians."
Burns estimates that it will take Tuff Guy about six months to heal, but once he's cleared by the clinic, he will be put up for adoption.
Until then, the nurses at the clinic will continue to shower him with all the love and cuddles possible.
Want to help out Tuff Guy? You can make donations to the nonprofit Valley Isle Animal Rescue here.
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