Meet Frodo! This tiny, one-eyed dog doesn’t look at all like the hobbit in J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, but his journey is just as fascinating and inspiring.

Almost a year ago, animal rescuer Klaudija Sigurnjak stumbled upon a small, devilish creature by the side of the road in her Croatian hometown. The beast, later identified as a malnourished dog, had lost most of its fur, its skin was covered in ticks and fleas, and it was blind with the right eye.

Klaudija decided to try and save the poor puppy even though the odds of survival were minimal. It was the beginning of a treacherous and testing journey for both of them. Many times, it seemed like Frodo would lose the battle with the parasites that were plaguing him both internally and externally, but he finally made it through.

After eight full months of fighting death and malnutrition, the one-eyed pup emerged with a new coat and a bright smile on his face to meet his newly adoptive owners that Klaudija had found for him.

1. At first glance Frodo didn’t even look like a dog when first rescued. He looked more like a nightmarish creature to be honest…