The puppy was only three to four months old when everything changed.

Near a construction site, the small light-golden-and-white puppy slipped and fell into a pit filled with thick black tar.

His tiny body became trapped almost immediately.

The more he struggled, the more the sticky tar clung to his legs, belly, and fur.

Fortunately, a man nearby heard his weak cries and rushed over.

He carefully pulled the puppy out and placed him on a blanket.

But the situation was serious.

Tar covered much of his body and had collected heavily around his eyes. The puppy could barely keep them open.

He lay on his side, exhausted, breathing weakly and hardly moving.

The rescuer quickly carried him away to get help.

During the first hours, the puppy was kept warm while the tar was slowly and carefully removed from his fur. The areas around his eyes, nose, paws, and skin required extra care.

On Day 1, he was still extremely tired.

He spent most of the day lying quietly on a soft blanket.

But by Day 2, something changed.

The puppy slowly opened his brown eyes more clearly.

When water was placed nearby, he lifted his head and drank a few small sips on his own.

It was the first real sign that he was beginning to recover.

By Day 4, most of the tar had been removed.

His light golden-and-white coat was beginning to appear again.

He could sit up by himself and started eating soft food.

Then came Day 7.

For the first time since the accident, the puppy pushed himself onto all four legs.

His first steps were shaky.

He nearly lost his balance.

But he kept trying.

A few moments later, he was slowly walking across the room without help.

And by Day 14, the frightened puppy who had once been trapped in black tar looked completely different.

His coat was clean.

His eyes were bright.

His strength had returned.

Outside on the grass, he began running after a toy, turning back toward his rescuer with his tail wagging.

Two weeks earlier, he could barely open his eyes.

Now he was running again.

What looked like the worst day of his young life had become the beginning of his recovery.