When North Carolina animal rescuers were contacted on Easter Sunday about a severely neglected dog that desperately needed their help, they didn’t know what to expect.

But when Joey Prince, a shelter director from Columbus County Animal Control, finally saw the neglected dog, he was truly speechless. “It was the worst case of matting I’ve ever seen,” said Prince, who has unfortunately seen countless neglected animals.

Rescuers brought the dog, who they named Mattie, straight to Wags and Wiggle Dog Salon and spent more than three hours shaving six pounds of filthy, matted fur off the 22-pound dog. And once freed from all the fur that made it impossible to move without pain, Mattie couldn’t stop wagging his tail.

“He didn’t really talk before he was shaved, but now he’s talking. He wags his tail and we’re working on his back leg,” Prince said. Despite being neglected for so long, the vet found that Mattie was surprisingly healthy and expects him to make a full recovery with a better diet and lots of affection. “He’s a great dog, and I’m so glad we found him in time,” Prince said.

Watch the entire video below to see how far Mattie has come since being rescued.

Can you imagine how long Mattie must have been neglected for to be found in such a state? Let us know what you think in the comments below and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.

[Featured image: WECT]