German Shepherd Hershel's life was filled with neglect and mistreatment, confined to a garden for years without any love or attention.
When Found Animals heard his story, they decided they would do anything to help him.
Failed adoptions
When he was found, poor Hershel's teeth were worn down, a clear sign he had been biting at the chain that kept him confined to the garden.
He had clearly been badly affected by his traumatic ordeal, which left him in need of a very special family.
With two failed adoptions, rescuers feared Hershel would never find his forever home. Then they got a call from a family in Washington.
Seeing the ocean
The family were a perfect fit, and the team felt sure the teddy bear dog would be cared for and loved unconditionally.
The only issue was that they were in Washington, which meant a long drive to reunite him with his family.
Thankfully, nothing was too much for the wonderful team responsible for Hershel's adoption, and they embarked on a cross-country trip to bring him home.
On the way they decided to take him to see the ocean. Screaming like a person, he couldn't believe his eyes!
The joy of this beautiful boy touched the hearts of dog lovers around the world, with thousands sharing comments and observations about his story.
"I cried like a baby when he saw the ocean", commented a viewer.
"Pure love", replied another.
