It was unlike anything we had ever seen before. A pit bull—four years old—with fresh first- and second-degree burns covering nearly half of his body. We named him Smitty, and during his six-week stay in the Intensive Care Unit at the ASPCA Animal Hospital, there was only one thing more unbelievable than his horrific injuries: his smile.

Smitty’s wounds were severe; his pain was constant. His regular bandage changes stung as doctors removed dead tissue and skin so he could begin to heal. But through it all, his sweetness never wavered. With his tail wagging and his eyes full of hope, he never lost his faith in humanity.

Animals like Smitty are why we do what we do. They are the reason we have spent nearly 150 years fighting for the welfare and protection of animals, and they are the reason we never give up—no matter how big our challenges may seem. But we cannot continue our life-saving work without your support.

Though we will never know for certain what happened in Smitty’s past, his strength, spirit and resilience have given us all hope for the future. Once a vulnerable burn-victim, Smitty is now thriving at our Adoption Center as he waits for a loving home.

Please help us save more animals like Smitty from a lifetime of pain and suffering. Make a gift to the ASPCA today.

If you are interested in adopting Smitty, please call our Adoptions Department in New York City at (212) 876-7700 ext. 4120. To learn more about Smitty, please visit his profile page.