While wandering through a quiet village in Bali, Indonesia, a terrified dog roamed the streets, struggling to survive all on his own. Neglected and uncared for, his once beautiful coat had deteriorated, leaving only sparse patches of fur on his blotchy, flea-bitten skin.
One day, a local resident named Ben came across the pup and felt his heart break at the sight.
“He was malnourished, terrified, and infested with fleas,” Ben shared in a video for The Dodo. “The moment he saw me, he would run off, terrified.”
Determined to help, Ben, with the support of a compassionate neighbor, began offering the dog food. Slowly, the pup started to trust them, and his frail, bony body began to fill out as he eagerly devoured each meal.
“Day by day, we saw the change,” Ben recalled. “Watching him inch closer to recovery was a heartwarming transformation.”
But just when it seemed like the pup was finally on the road to a new life, he disappeared. After three weeks of progress, the dog vanished without a trace. Desperate to find him, Ben plastered posters all over the village, hoping for some good news.
“Despite everything, there was no sign of him,” Ben said, disheartened.
Then, one night, Ben received a phone call. The dog had been spotted—over a mile away! To Ben’s astonishment, the pup had somehow found his way back to his original home.
That’s when Ben discovered the dog’s true identity. His name was Bojess, and he had a loving family who had been searching for him for months.
“It was incredible,” Ben marveled. “Once Bojess regained his strength and confidence, he made the journey home on his own.”
Back with the family who loved him, Bojess continued his recovery. Before long, his fur grew back thick and fluffy, a far cry from the scraggly dog Ben had once rescued.
“Looking at him now, it’s hard to believe he’s the same dog,” Ben said with a smile.
Ben still keeps in touch with Bojess’ family and visits the pup regularly. He’s deeply grateful to have played a part in Bojess’ remarkable comeback story.
“Life can be so unpredictable,” Ben reflected. “You never know when you’ll have the chance to make a real difference.”
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