Officer Angela Laurella was dispatched to a report of two dogs chained to poles on a dead end street in Pompano, Florida.

Nobody knew how long the dogs had been there or who had abandoned them because there were no cameras in the area. Officer Laurella, on the other hand, realized that with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees outside, there was no time to waste.

She ran over to discover a weak gray dog clinging to a pole so tightly that he could scarcely move.

Amy Roman, president and founder of 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida, told The Dodo, “He was tied to a pole with a very short leash.” “He was emaciated, dehydrated, and every bone and rib protruded.”

To receive pets, the dog, now named Liam, placed his paw in the officer’s hand and bowed his head. “She just walked slowly toward him and reached out her hand, and he kind of cowered and gave her his paw, as if to say, ‘Please help me get out of here,’” Roman explained.

You can watch the rescue here:

Officer Laurella saw that Liam had not had an easy life and required particular care, so she sought assistance from the rescue 100+ Abandoned Dogs of Everglades Florida. Despite the fact that the rescue was overloaded, Roman gladly took Liam.

Liam is currently recuperating in Roman’s house after multiple vet appointments, where the 17-pound pocket bulldog is steadily regaining strength – and eating better than he has in the past.

“He’s always getting so much affection,” Roman added. “He’s fed every hour on the hour, so his body becomes accustomed to it… He’s having a fantastic time right now since we have volunteers preparing batches of boiled chicken and rice.”

While Liam still has a long road ahead of him, including numerous vet appointments, he’s been a ray of sunshine since his rescue.

“He loves everyone, and this dog doesn’t have a mean bone in his body,” Roman said. “That says it all to me, because after everything he’s been through, he’s still so grateful and forgiving.”

Liam is one of many animals in Florida who have recently been abandoned or surrendered by their owners.

With so many shelters at capacity, Roman hopes pet owners will seek assistance and resources from shelters and rescues before deciding they can no longer care for their pets. And Liam exemplifies how every dog deserves a second chance.

Despite everything, Liam keeps reaching out to people, proving that he is ready for a life with a loving family.