Animal abuse is a rampant problem in the U.S. Thankfully, many individuals decide to take a stand and help these neglected and abused animals. And while the problem might never totally go away, people need to continue to stand up for abused animals.

Mike Thawley from Sacramento, California, is one of those people who fight for abused animals.

Thawley comes across an abused puppy

When Thawley, a Sacramento firefighter, first heard the cries of a puppy while on the way to a call, he did not stop. But, the fact that a dog was out there suffering bothered him all day. So, he went back after his shift was over to see if he could help.

What he saw left him heartbroken and a little angry.

Firefighter takes abused puppy to the local animal shelter

Thawley found a neglected pit bull puppy that had been tied up to a tree and left out in the pouring rain. The puppy had a bad skin infection, with her whole body covered in open wounds and mange. Grabbing the puppy, he took her back to the station to bath her.

Naming her Chunkie, Thawley next took her to the Front Street Animal Shelter in downtown Sacramento. Knowing that she would be in good hands, he left.

Thawley went to see Chunkie the next day

After Thawley dropped Chunkie off, he went back to his normal routine. Unfortunately, he couldn’t get the dog out of his mind and thought of her for the rest of the night. So, the next day he decided to go and check on her at the shelter.

As he saw her in her cage, his heart melted. She was wearing a pink sweater and seemed to be happier than she was the day before.

Thawley takes Chunkie home with him

When Chunkie saw Thawley, she recognized him right away and rushed to his side to say hi. In his heart, he knew that Chunkie belonged to him. So, when she was healthy enough, Thawley offered to foster her. After taking her home, Chunkie got to meet the rest of the family, including Thawley’s wife, Carla, and their three daughters.

Soon, though, the family wanted to do more than foster her, they wanted to give Chunkie a home. With the decision made, Thawley formally adopted Chunkie down at the shelter. Now, she would have a loving home to live in.

The Front Street Animal Shelter

The Front Street Animal Shelter cares for lost and abandoned animals in the Sacramento, California, area. In addition to this basic service, the shelter also offers animals for adoption, investigates animal nuisance problems, and educates the public about the importance of spaying or neutering their pets. For more information about the Front Street Animal Shelter, check out the organization’s Website or its Facebook.

For more on Chunkie and her rescuer, Mike Thawley, check out the video below.

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Source: AJ Plastquita

H/T: We Love Animals, KXTV ABC 10