Joey started out scavenging for food at a gas station. Now, he is nine months old, about 65 pounds, and, according to his owner, “literally the sweetest cuddle bug ever.”

In a post shared to Reddit’s r/BeforeNAfterAdoption community, Joey’s owner said she found him when he was just 5 weeks old.

At the time, he was in bad shape. She said he weighed just four pounds, was severely dehydrated, full of worms, and extremely thin.

The poster, a vet tech, said the rescue group she works with first planned to place Joey with a different adopter. But after helping him through those early days, she ended up adopting him herself.

She said Joey is now healthy and happy. He is also off-leash trained and close with the family’s 3-year-old golden retriever, Benny.

“We are so lucky that he’s part of our family!” she wrote.

Reddit commenters said they were happy for Joey and his family.

“This is the best! I love the picture of both dogs at the beach having the time of their lives,” one commenter wrote.

“I can feel his happiness and joy just through these pics!” another added.

“Thank you for giving him the loving life that he deserves!” one commenter wrote.

“It is because of these kinds of things that sometimes I have faith in humanity again, I am immensely grateful for what you have done for Joey,” another said.

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