It all started with a Facebook photo.

According to KHOU, Houston K-911 Rescue first learned of Gus from Facebook, where their rescuers saw a photo of the dirty and injured dog ambling across a road near abandoned properties in Houston, Texas.

Rescuers went out to the area hoping to find the dog among the buildings and eventually found him by smell.

“We were about to walk right past it, then noticed the opening and looked inside with a flashlight. After a few seconds, we commented about how badly it reeked in there. We were about to go in to look in a room that’s inside when the dog came strolling out,” the rescue organization wrote on Facebook about how they found Gus in an deserted apartment complex.

Once Gus was under the rescue’s care, it became clear just how much he was suffering. Along with being filthy and hungry, Gus had a shoelace tightly tied around his neck, causing serious wounds that had damaged his trachea, organs and skin. X-rays also revealed the canine was riddled with pellets, meaning poor Gus had been shot with a pellet gun numerous times.

Instead of focusing on the negatives, Houston K-911 Rescue is working on the ways they can add positives to Gus’s life.

Gus has been given pain medication, antibiotics and fluids to help treat his injuries. His neck wounds have also been carefully cleaned to prevent further damage. On Friday, the canine underwent surgery at Texas A&M Hospital with a soft tissue specialist to get the deep scarring on his neck removed and the wounds there further treated. The rescue is hopeful that this operation will help with the health issues Gus is experiencing in his head and neck area.

“To see his head in person fills you with a sense of horror and deep sadness. How in the world is this dog still alive?” the rescue described on Facebook.

Luckily, Gus is still alive, even though he likely spent over a year on the street suffering various abuses. Now this sweet, ailing canine finally has the opportunity to heal and find happiness.

To help pay for Gus’s extensive medical bills, Houston K-911 Rescue is raising funds for his care and has already received over $10,000 in donations.