This is Duke as he looked when we saved him from the highway...suffering terribly from deep skin infections & A Severely Infected Eye

Below, Duke snoozing away- month two since he found us- coat improving...

Below, Duke as he looks NOW! Beautiful, sleek and happy

Below, more happy ending photos of Duke

On a very hot August day last summer I was in the yard washing my car when I saw two dogs coming down the street. First I thought they were the neighbors dogs roaming the neighborhood. One of them was really big and looked kinda scary. Alongside the big dog was a small black dog (we later named her Perky). I then thought well, maybe they are lost and thirsty. They had collars but no ID.

The big guy came to me, sighed and moaned and put his head into my lap and I thought "I gotta help this dog". I got water, food and snacks and lured them into my fenced backyard. I thought about turning them into a shelter but I feared they would be euthanized.

Duke went to the vet to see what was wrong with his eye. we were told Duke had been neglected and abused and he may lose his left eye. During several weeks we provided Duke and Perky a temporary home. We knew we were faced with extensive vet care for Duke, so we contacted Alma Bowman of Southern States mastiff Rescue and released Duke to them to find him a good home and see to it that he got the medical attention he needed.

We had already spent about $500.00 and didn't think I could afford the eye surgery if it was needed. We continued to house Duke and Perky while SSMR tried to find him a home. OR, you guessed it. We decided we could not part with either of them so we decided to adopt Duke from SSMR.

Duke's injured eye healed and he has regained some of the sight in that eye. Coat is now in great condition and on his last visit to the vet he weighed 198 pounds! He has come a long way from that starved 120 pound dog that was lost and hungry.

I will be forever grateful that I was in the backyard the day these dogs came down the road. They are the greatest and we cannot imagine not waking up with them every morning. Duke's not perfect. He snores, farts and eats like a horse. But he loves to carry 20 pound logs around the yard, is a super watchdog and loves it when you lie on the floor with him and give him hugs and love.

Thank you Alma and SSMR for your help with Duke and all the other Mastiffs you have saved. Please make donations to the group as it is strictly non-profit and relies completely on your donations and adoption fees. All donations are tax deductible too!