If you have an interest in animal welfare, you may have heard about the street dog issue occurring in Peru. The number of dogs living on the streets is deplorable but sometimes, you hear about the success story that offers hope. That is what occurred when a starving dog seemed to be invisible until two women from Iquitos decided to help.

Joyci Milagros is the woman who changed the life of this dog. A dog rescuer named Ursula Vari posted a video on YouTube. It happened when Joyci spotted the dog on her way to work as it was rummaging through trash cans looking for a meal. Although she had seen dogs doing this before, she suddenly felt an “immediate obligation to help.”

Joyci returned the following day to look for the dog but he was nowhere to be found. A second dog was found, however, and he needed even more help than the first dog. He was skin and bones, covered in mange and when she saw him he was standing in traffic. “Right there, on a steamy early afternoon,” Vari continued, “Joyci promised the dog that she will never let him be in that state… ever again.” She decided his name would be Ojitos, meaning “Little Eyes” in Spanish.

Bianca Vasquez is a friend of Joyci and she loves dogs. She provided a place for Ojitos to live and they started their search. They found Vari’s program, Street Dogs of Peru, which was able to offer the pup the treatment he needed. Best of all, it was given free of charge but the two friends still found things perplexing. “No one could understand why the women would touch a ‘dog like that.” The person who lived next door to Bianca even moved away because they couldn’t stand the sight of the sick animal.

Even though they were running into some roadblocks, Joyci and Bianca pushed forward. They got Ojitos the treatment he needed. He had some physical scars from his lifestyle, they could see beneath it at the lovely animal that was waiting to be found. After a number of months of special care, Ojitos became a playful, energetic dog with lots of love to give. When the rescue of Ojitos was posted online, adoption applications began to come in.

These two women provided hope to a dog that was in a hopeless situation. The editor of the video, Vari, raises money for a sterilization outreach program. It aims to keep the stray dog population in Peru under control. Many of these dogs are also available for adoption in the United States through the program.

Animal lovers from around the world have praised Joyci and Bianca for what they did in taking care of the animal. “Your deed will never be forgotten,” wrote one YouTube user who was touched by the story. “What an amazing transformation!” wrote another. “His eyes looked shell-shocked and dazed when he was rescued, and then they became filled with life.”

One thing is certain, these two women have given hope to many and have inspired people to care for dogs wherever they live.