For many dog lovers, seeing an animal in an abused and neglected condition is a call for action. It doesn’t matter if they are in the middle of doing their job or not. They will stop and do what they can to help the animal out.

This is what happened with UPS driver Gavin Crowsley while he was out doing his route.

Crowsley spots a dog in need

When Crowsley first saw the emaciated dog, he thought that it was a Dalmatian. In shock, he realized that the dog was a Great Dane. In addition to the dog’s condition, it was cold outside and the poor animal was on a short chain with no nearby food or water. That was when Crowsley decided to take action.

“I could see every bone in his body,” he told his employer. “He was just lying there. I knew if that dog didn’t die from starvation, he was going to die from the weather. I didn’t want to have a confrontation, but I couldn’t just leave him there.”

Phoenix is rescued

Calling the Clay County Humane Society in Brazil, Indiana, Crowsley waited for help to arrive. Within an hour, volunteers from the organization were there to perform a rescue of the animal, whose name turned out to be Phoenix. Phoenix was safe but would require several months to recover from his abuse.

Weighing only 70 pounds when he was saved by Crowsley, Phoenix was able to rebound. During his battle to recover, the abused dog had to overcome severe malnutrition, frostbite, and pneumonia. It was also found that he was blind in one eye and deaf.

Crowsley and Phoenix are reunited

After seven months, UPS posted a photo on its Facebook page of Crowsley and Phoenix (who now weighed 160 pounds) along with the story of how the driver helped save the dog.

“We’ve waited several months to share this story with you because we wanted the first photo you see of Phoenix to be this sweet boy reunited with the UPS driver who helped save his life,” the company wrote on its page.

Phoenix is adopted into a loving home

Phoenix ended up being adopted by a family who loved him to no end and even became a therapy dog. His owner started a Facebook page for Phoenix, called Phoenix Fighters, where he raised money for the Humane Society and the American Cancer Society.

Phoenix’s legacy continues

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Phoenix, unfortunately, ended up succumbing to cancer in 2019. But he has left a lasting legacy as his owner continues to remain active in rescuing dogs in need. The organization continues to focus on Phoenix’s original mission, which was to raise money for “doggies in need!”

Fortunately, Phoenix had someone looking out for him when he needed it most. Phoenix was able to find a loving home in which to spend his last years, which is what all dogs deserve. For more on Phoenix Fighters, visit the organization’s Facebook page.

H/T: We Love Animals, Huffpost