Skinny, Hairless Shelter Dog Shocks Her Adopter After Transformation

When animal control picked up a stray dog wandering the streets alone, she looked like a survivor of the worst life could throw at her — skinny, sick, and completely hairless.

She was brought to a local shelter, but her condition was so dire that she needed more care than the shelter could provide. That’s when Austin Pets Alive! stepped in.

“Mrs. Greg was in poor condition,” said Luis Sanchez, director of public relations at Austin Pets Alive! She tested positive for parvovirus and severe sarcoptic mange — two of the worst, most painful, and often deadly diagnoses a shelter dog can get.

But Mrs. Greg refused to give up. Against the odds, she beat parvo. The mange lingered, though, and left her mostly bald, even as her body healed. Her rescuers worried people would overlook her because of her appearance.

Then came Olivia — a volunteer who saw past the patchy skin and saw a fighter. She adopted her, renamed her Winnie, and gave her what no medicine could: unconditional love.

“I know she fought through the parvo and mange in the shelter,” Olivia said. “She kept getting sick after adoption, but she was always a happy puppy through it all.”

Winnie’s first weeks in her new home weren’t easy. She struggled with stomach issues, and her fur still hadn’t grown back. Olivia didn’t care. “I had no idea if her fur would ever grow… I didn’t mind either way.”

Then, something amazing happened. Slowly, Winnie’s coat started to grow. Bit by bit, she transformed — until she was completely covered in soft, fluffy fur.

“I can’t believe how much fur she has now,” Olivia said. Once sick and hairless, Winnie is now unrecognizable — a beautiful reminder of what love, patience, and a second chance can do.