Scrappy pup goes from matted to marvelous

Hawkeye’s superhero origin story began in a Brooklyn home, where he was living indoors with more than 100 other dogs in heartbreaking conditions. The house was dark, dirty, and filled with stuff. Many of the pups were sick, and their fur was clumped in thick mats, including Hawkeye’s.

Like his namesake from the Marvel universe, Hawkeye the dog doesn’t have any supernatural powers, but he doesn’t need them. His heart and courage helped him overcome his painful past to get to where he is today.

Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) led a team that carried the dogs out of the house and into the sunshine. Each pup needed immediate care, so ACC sent out the Bat-Signal.

Within 24 hours, animal welfare organizations from across the region assembled and stepped up to take in dogs. That’s one of the most important ways that shelters across the country have reached no-kill — by working together to save pets who need extra care or time.

Best Friends took in nine of those dogs, Hawkeye included.

Our scrappy little hero needed two things: medical attention and a serious grooming. No one could tell exactly what was hiding beneath all the dirt and furry tangles. Because his mats were so severe, Hawkeye had to be completely shaved (except for his fluffy eyebrows). Afterward, he looked like a different dog, as though he’d been wearing a comic book-worthy disguise.

[18 pooches go from matted to magnificent]

Best Friends arranged for Hawkeye to be seen at a vet clinic, where he was vaccinated, neutered, and treated for a sore on his eye. Once he was feeling lighter and healthier, his sweet, confident personality started to shine — and caught the attention of a different kind of hero.

One of the veterinarians at the clinic saw a social media post from Best Friends looking for foster volunteers and asked if she could take Hawkeye home.

In a week’s time, the vet realized that she couldn’t imagine life without Hawkeye and decided to adopt him. (Proof that not all heroes wear capes — some wear scrubs.) Before long, all nine pups who came to Best Friends landed in loving homes.

These days, Hawkeye is living the life he deserves. He shares his home with a fluffy cat friend named Zsa Zsa, and together, they make quite the dynamic duo. He loves patrolling the neighborhood on walks, recharging with cuddles, and visiting the vet clinic where his person works.

[Dog from overcrowded home shines as an individual]

He’s still refining his superhero skills. For instance, he can knock down walls (as long as those walls are less than a foot tall and only weigh an ounce). Plus, he has an impressive costume collection in case he ever needs to make a quick change.

Hawkeye used to be one of 100-plus dogs. Now, he’s the main character of his story thanks to the power of love and teamwork.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.