No one knows what Sang Su’s life was like before he was found wandering the streets of Chicago. But one thing was heartbreakingly clear — he had gone far too long without love or care.
His tiny body was buried beneath a suffocating mass of matted fur.
The thick, tangled coat swallowed his shape so completely that no one could even guess what kind of dog he was.
When he was first brought to a local shelter, staff quickly realized Sang Su needed more help than they could give. That’s when they called the Trio Animal Foundation, a rescue group that specializes in animals suffering from extreme neglect.
Even for them, Sang Su’s condition was shocking.
“His fur was so tightly wrapped around his legs and ears that it was like a vice,” Sue Naiden, president of the Trio Animal Foundation, told The Dodo. “The urine-soaked mats gave off such a stench it burned your nose and throat.”
Still, rescuers refused to give up on him.
A team of four medical professionals worked for two hours straight to carefully cut away more than three pounds of heavy, filthy fur. Bit by bit, they freed Sang Su from the prison he had been forced to carry on his back.
When the last mat finally fell away, everyone was stunned.
Naiden had guessed Sang Su might be a Shih Tzu, poodle, or Lhasa Apso mix. But when he emerged from the grooming room, she realized she’d been wrong.
“I have been in rescue for 20 years, and this was the first time I was wrong about the breed under all that fur,” she said. “Sang Su is actually a cocker spaniel mix.”
For the first time in what may have been years, Sang Su could move freely. He could stretch, run, and even see the world around him again.
And just as important, he could finally feel a gentle, loving touch on his skin.
Though still cautious after his trauma, Sang Su longs for closeness.
“All he wants is to be held or lean against you,” Naiden said. “His legs may shake, but he still presses in, craving affection. That desire to be loved will be the key to his recovery.”
Sang Su’s journey isn’t over yet. He’s receiving treatment for painful ear infections and working through therapy with other dogs to help rebuild his confidence.
But the hardest part of his life is behind him.
And soon, when he’s fully healed, he’ll be ready to find the family he’s always deserved.
“His story and transformation are truly amazing,” Naiden said.
Sang Su has come so far already — and the best is still to come.
To learn more about Sang Su, and to find out how you can help, visit the Trio Animal Foundation's website here.
