At first glance, the man thought it was just a pile of old clothes tossed carelessly by a canal bench. But as he drew closer, he realized with shock that it wasn’t fabric at all—it was a dog, so matted and still that he nearly mistook him for dead.
The dog, later named Morris, was completely immobilized by the weight of his own fur and appeared utterly defeated. The man who found him didn’t hesitate—he scooped Morris up, brought him home, and rushed him to the vet.
From there, Morris was transferred into the care of the RSPCA, where rescuers were stunned by his condition.
“When the man found Morris, he was lying completely motionless,” said Ryan King, an inspector with the RSPCA. “His fur was so thick and matted, he looked lifeless. It was only when the man noticed Morris breathing that he realized he was still alive—but barely.”
Morris had been through more than anyone knew. Blind in one eye and suffering from cataracts in the other, he was likely completely unable to see. His immobility wasn’t just from fear—it was partly due to his blindness, and partly because he was literally trapped in a cocoon of neglected fur.
At the veterinary hospital, staff gently shaved off 1.3 kilograms of matted hair—a staggering 10% of Morris’s total body weight. The moment the burden was lifted, his transformation began.
“Once he was free from that painful, tangled fur, he could finally move again,” King said. “And with every day, he started to come back to life.”
In the months that followed, Morris began healing—not just physically, but emotionally. Despite being blind and later discovered to be deaf as well, Morris proved to be nothing short of resilient.
Then came the day he met Josephine Newhall, who instantly knew Morris belonged with her.
“I knew he was blind, and that didn’t faze me one bit,” Josephine shared. “My home is safe and calm, and he quickly figured out how to navigate everything—even the garden.”
Soon, Morris settled in perfectly, bringing joy, comfort, and the occasional tail wag to his new family. He even found puppy love in Ruby, Josephine’s daughter’s dog.
“He’s such a sweet companion,” Josephine said. “Considering what he went through, it’s truly a miracle he’s here—and thriving.”
Once abandoned and mistaken for trash, Morris now lives like a king. His story is a powerful reminder that no matter how far gone someone may seem, kindness can turn everything around.
If Morris’s journey touched your heart, consider supporting the RSPCA to help more animals in need find hope, healing, and a second chance.
