This year, a dog named Hank was hit by a car on a rural road near an airport in Louisiana and left for dead. For nearly a month, he survived alone with severe injuries until officers from St. Landry Parish Animal Control found him barely clinging to life.

That moment marked the turning point in Hank’s journey. The shelter immediately contacted the BISSELL Pet Foundation, a group that often steps in during emergencies. Founder Cathy Bissell arranged for Hank to be rushed to Lafayette Vet Care, where he began his long recovery.

Despite his horrific injuries—torn skin, damaged ears, and immense pain—Hank showed nothing but gentleness. He never growled, even during painful treatments. His quiet strength and resilience deeply touched everyone who met him.

“He was the sweetest, most gentle brindle blockhead,” Bissell said. “It’s a miracle he survived as long as he did.”

The BISSELL Pet Foundation covered all of Hank’s medical expenses. After a month of intensive care, he was strong enough to find a home. When Bissell posted Hank’s story online, one family in Michigan knew he was meant for them. Moved by their compassion, Bissell personally drove Hank from Louisiana to his new forever home.

The moment they met, the family knelt to comfort him, offering love and security he had never known. Today, Hank is thriving. Though his body still bears scars, his spirit is unbreakable—and he finally has the love he always deserved.

“Hank’s heart carried him through,” Bissell said. “And now, he’s exactly where he belongs.”

After his recovery, Bissell posted the dog’s profile on social media in search of his forever family. Several animal lovers responded quickly, but one family in particular stood out to the founder.

“They said Hank was exactly the dog they’d been waiting for—one who needed them. His picture tugged at their hearts. They told me they had all the love in the world to give—and they wanted to give it to him,” Bissell recalls.

After telling the Grand Rapids, Mich., family that they would be Hank’s new owners, Bissell personally chauffeured Hank from Louisiana to the Great Lakes State.

“When the family came to meet him, they got right down on the ground to pet him, comforting him, loving him, and letting him know he was finally safe. Watching that moment unfold — it was exactly why we do this work,” Bissell says of the moment Hank met his new family.

Today, Hank is fully settled into his new home. While the dog still has several scars from his hit-and-run accident, his demeanor is all sunshine.