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Meet The Man Given Months To Live Who Turned It Around For His Dogs

Meet The Man Given Months To Live Who Turned It Around For His Dogs

Zach Skow is an inspiration, but he owes it all to his dogs.

Tom Wood

Tom Wood

A man who was given three months to live ten years ago has shared the secret that helped him beat his terminal diagnosis - it was the love of his three dogs.

Zach Skow was given just a matter of weeks to live when he was only 28 years old as a result of liver disease, but credits his decision to turn his life around and beat his illness on his three rescue dogs, who he refers to as his "pack".

Zach had endured a long battle against alcohol and drug addiction and was struggling to get himself sober. Eventually it got to the point where unless he banished the bottle, he was going to die. That's a tough reality to face, let alone facing it stone cold sober.

Luckily, he had the love of his dogs to pull him through, and he made the decision to change his ways for them.

Instagram/Zach Skow

He told People Magazine: "Ten years ago I had end stage liver disease and less than 90 days to live without a liver transplant,"

"I had a tough time being awake in my own skin,

"My dogs were all looking at me like I was the sexiest man alive. They didn't see the desperation, they just saw they person that they love,

"They were looking forward to a future."

This thought galvanised him, and - as he couldn't have a liver transplant without being sober - he set about getting himself out of his addiction problems.

Instagram/Zach Skow

He cut out the booze and the drugs, starting eating more healthily, and began to exercise regularly - yet another thing that is made easier if you've got three energetic dogs. The results were impressive to say the least.

He continued: "I let my dogs do the steering.

"I would go in every week for a blood test and I just kept getting better. My doctors kept looking at me with these puzzled looks on their faces."

As it happened, in the end he didn't even need that liver transplant. He and his canine companions managed to turn it all around, and he's trying to keep it that way.

Since then, he has dedicated his life to rescuing more dogs like the ones that saved him. So far, 5,000 dogs have been rescued and he now runs 'Miracle Mutts' - a outreach programme that helps people to help themselves, and dogs too.

He helps shelter dogs, but also people who are in situations similar to his all those years ago. He sends dogs to prison inmates, cancer patients, veterans - basically, anyone who needs a lift from the company of a dog.

Skow explained: "What I have found is my purpose, I am a professional dog rescuer and people saver. I rescue dogs to rescue people."

"I really hope people will look into giving a dog a second chance. Rescue dogs know, they carry with them immeasurable amounts of love."

Inspirational stuff.


Featured Image Credit: Instagram/Zach Skow

Topics: Inspirational, Addiction, Animals, Dogs, Health