All stray dogs feel lonely and sad as they struggle to make it through another day. Their hearts yearn for connection and love.
Apollo longed for someone to notice him as he roamed around the Texas streets. He was hungry and sick.
As time passed, Apollo became more hopeless and felt invisible. He started accepting the fact that he might never get the chance to live a normal life.
Little did he know that destiny would send him a hero who would change his life from scratch.
Apollo Seeks Help
As he wandered around, Apollo arrived at a Texas high school and sought refuge in an outdoor bathroom. The dog hoped that the humans wouldn’t chase him away. He was running out of strength and desperately needed help.
A teacher named Aaron Tanguma learned about Apollo from a coworker, who noticed him roaming around the school they both worked.
Tanguma dropped everything he was doing and rushed to check on the stray.
Once he saw Apollo for the first time, he was shocked by the terrible state he was in. The pup had mange. His skin was sore and he barely had any fur on his body. He didn’t even look like a dog.
The kind-hearted teacher gave Apollo some food, which he deeply appreciated. He couldn’t bear to leave him struggling on the streets, so he scooped him up and took him home.
Tanguma’s fiancée, Renee Gonzales, jumped in to help Apollo. The couple wished to bring the doggo inside, but since they had four cats, they couldn’t risk them catching mange from Apollo.
They considered taking the pup to the vet, but since they were afraid that the vet would euthanize him, they purchased mange medication and began treating him on their own.
An Amazing Transformation
Apollo had a long road to recovery ahead of him.
During his healing process, he showed signs of depression and spent a lot of time sleeping.
Tanguma and Gonzales were right there beside him, cheering him on and showering him with love.
“It took about 3 months for his skin to fully heal and another 3 [to] 4 months to grow his fur out fully. We rescued him [in] May 2024, and he became an indoor dog in February 2025,” Gonzales told The Dodo.
As Apollo began feeling better, his eyes began shining brighter and his mood started improving.
Once Tanguma and Gonzales adopted him, he realized that he had found his place under the sun and finally showed his personality.
He loved his parents deeply and smiled whenever he saw them.
His family was both surprised and delighted with his transformation.
From a hairless and desperate pup who almost gave up on himself, Apollo blossomed into a happy and gorgeous pup with a beautiful fluffy coat.
Thanks to the kindness and help that Tanguma and Gonzales showed him, Apollo got a second lease on life.
He loves going on adventures with his family and enjoys every day to the fullest.