Four days ago, Brooks was dying alone on the streets of Mississippi. Today, he is safe, loved, and finally getting the chance at life he has always deserved. Now, we need your help to get him the rest of the way there.

Brooks approached an animal lover who was visiting Jackson, Mississippi, briefly for work. He was covered in open wounds. His skin was flaking off of his body. He was so severely emaciated that his body condition score was just 1—the most extreme level of underweight. It was clear that he had been deprived of food for a very long time. He was swaying on his feet and didn't even have the strength to step up from the street onto the curb. And yet, when she called to him, he found the strength to come over. Despite everything he had endured, Brooks was incredibly sweet and friendly. He wasn't aggressive or afraid of people. He was just a dog looking for someone to see him, someone to care, someone to help.

She called some animal-loving friends from back home in Minnesota, and we got to work. A community came together to save Brooks. She rushed Brooks to an emergency veterinarian, where he was hospitalized until Saturday. He was stabilized, placed on a carefully managed refeeding plan, and treated for his wounds. Some of the wounds were able to be stitched closed. The veterinary team believes his wounds likely began with external injuries, potentially from dog fighting, and worsened because he had been forced to lie in his own filth for a prolonged period with no access to food. His body is so depleted that he doesn't have the energy it needs to regrow the skin and heal properly. They estimate Brooks is only about two years old. His teeth look great. He should have so much life ahead of him.

Instead, he had been severely abused, neglected, and left to suffer. While the vet team cared for Brooks in Mississippi, we began making plans to get him from Mississippi to safety in Minnesota. The long drive south was made, and by 3 a.m. Sunday morning, Brooks was in the car and on his way to a new life. After a grueling journey, we made it back to Minnesota, where a loving foster family welcomed him. And then came another little miracle: when Brooks went to establish veterinary care on Monday morning, the veterinary technician who met him fell in love and offered to foster him herself. Brooks is now in the care of an experienced veterinary professional who understands the complicated, delicate process of getting a dog this sick healthy again. For the first time in who knows how long, maybe ever, Brooks is safe. He is surrounded by people who love him. He is receiving medical care. He is no longer alone. But saving Brooks was only the beginning. Now comes the long, expensive road to recovery.

Brooks has a tremendous amount of healing ahead of him, including heartworm treatment, potential surgery for an ankle injury, extensive wound care, and nutritional rehabilitation as he works to more than double his body weight. Because he is so severely malnourished, this must happen gradually and under veterinary supervision. His recovery will take time, patience, specialized care, and money. We don't yet know the full extent of what he will need, but we know it won't be inexpensive.

A remarkable group of animal lovers came together across the country, from Mississippi to Minnesota, to give Brooks a chance. So many stepped up when he needed someone most. Friends mobilized. Veterinary professionals provided lifesaving care. People opened their homes and their hearts. Together, we got him out of danger. Now, we're asking you to be part of Brooks's village, too. Your donation will go directly toward Brooks's continued veterinary care, medications, heartworm treatment, potential surgery, wound care, and nutritional rehabilitation. Every contribution will help give him the medical support he needs to recover.

A few days ago, Brooks was emaciated, wounded, neglected, and suffering on the streets of Mississippi. He had every reason to give up, but somehow, he still trusted a stranger enough to walk toward her when she called. That small act of trust changed everything.

Today, Brooks has a name, a safe place to sleep, a skilled caregiver, and a whole community rooting for him. He has people who will make sure he gets his medicine, tend to his wounds, celebrate every pound he gains, and remind him every single day that he matters. He is loved. He is safe. He has a future.

We cannot undo what Brooks has endured. But we can make sure the rest of his life looks nothing like his past. Please donate if you can, and share Brooks's story if you can't. Every dollar, every share, and every person who helps us spread the word brings Brooks one step closer to a healthy body and a happy life. Let's show Brooks what it feels like to be loved forever and ever.

With gratitude,

Brooks's village