This is what two years on a dirty, flea-infested porch with 20 other dogs can do to you...

Ellie was living in Tennessee with a mom who was disabled and couldn’t look after the dogs anymore. A kind neighbor tried to help out by feeding them, but the 21 dogs were living in real squalor, and they weren’t getting any attention.

The worst was poor Ellie. Her skin problems were so bad that she only had a handful of hair left on her whole body. The skin from her chest hung down like a deflated balloon. Her paws were puffy and swollen. And she had a tumor that looked like cancer.

But this shy, bashful dog also looked like she wanted to live. So while Best Friends volunteers helped the other 20 dogs find new rescue groups, Ellie came to Best Friends for special care.

Can that tumor be cured? What about her uncomfortable skin? Doctors are going to do all they can for her – just as soon as she gets over her pneumonia! That’s right; she came down with pneumonia right after she arrived at Best Friends. Poor thing. On top of everything else!

There are no guarantees for this girl, except for one – from now on, she’ll have the love and attention and vet care she needs.