One day, the husky had a home and a family. The next day, she didn’t — her owner abandoned her on the streets of Phuket, Thailand, leaving the 1-year-old husky to survive on her own.
In January, the team at Soi Dog Foundation — an organization that rescues dogs and cats in Thailand — received a call from a concerned resident, reporting that an abandoned husky had been wandering through their neighborhood.
A husky suffering from severe mange
Sadly, this wasn’t the first time Soi Dog had to rescue a husky — a breed extremely popular in Thailand.
“In Thai society, appearance is highly valued, and huskies with their striking blue eyes are very popular,” said Maeve Henry, spokesperson for Soi Dog Foundation. “But due to a lack of knowledge about animal welfare, many people only love cute puppies. They don’t want the responsibility of raising a large, energetic dog like a husky. Most of them end up abandoned once they’re no longer small, fluffy, and cute.”
This husky, later named Nessie, was suffering from multiple health issues: anemia, crusty, inflamed eyes, and wounds around her legs. She also had both demodectic and sarcoptic mange, which caused her to lose most of her fur.
“She had clearly been neglected by her owner for a very long time,” Henry explained.
Despite the pain, Nessie only wanted love
Even in such a terrible condition, Nessie lit up whenever someone came close.
“Rescuers couldn’t believe how friendly and affectionate she was, despite her suffering,” Henry said. “She just wanted to kiss people and be near them. It was heartbreaking to know she’d been so cruelly neglected and then abandoned.”
Once in Soi Dog’s care, Nessie immediately began treatment. In just two weeks, she started to improve noticeably. And after two months, she had fully recovered.
Only a few days after being rescued, Nessie began “smiling.” “She realized she was being helped,” Henry said.
A new journey in the U.S.
In April, Nessie’s life took another big turn: she was flown to the United States and placed in foster care through The Devoted Barn.
Now renamed Matsi, she continues to thrive, showing off her radiant smile each day. Everyone is hopeful she will soon find her forever family — but it must be the right home.
Huskies are naturally active, energetic dogs that need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation. Without it, they quickly become bored or destructive. According to Henry, even in the U.S., many people adopt huskies without understanding their needs and abandon them when they can’t keep up.
The problem has worsened since the release of the TV series “Game of Thrones”, which popularized wolf-like dogs resembling huskies.
A brighter future
But now, things can only get better for Matsi.
“It’s wonderful to see her happy, wagging her tail,” Henry said. “She was very loving while she was with us, and from the videos her foster dad shares, that hasn’t changed.”