A hiker named Kent was exploring some canyons recently when he looked inside one and saw something that had him stopping dead in his tracks.

Way down in the dark and seemingly bottomless canyon, Kent spotted an abandoned puppy who looked to be near death!

The canyon went down around 350 feet, and Kent could not imagine how the dog had gotten down there. When he got down to the bottom of the canyon, Kent did not find any cuts or bruises on the canine, so he knew he could not have fallen down there. This is why Kent is convinced that the dog’s heartless owners left him to die at the bottom of this enormous canyon.

Kent brought some food and water down to the dog so that the canine could stay alive until he returned the next day with climbing ropes that he could use to rescue him.

“There is no way I’m just going to let him die without at least trying to help him,” Kent explained.

Keeping his promise, Kent returned the next day to launch his rescue operation. Using an ATV to support the rope, Kent climbed down the steep drop of the canyon.

Kent got to the bottom safely, but it was only when he got there that he realized it was actually a vast maze of tunnels and narrow passageways. He managed to entice the weak puppy to get inside the dog basket he had brought down with him, but he knew right away that the canine might not make it.

“You could count his individual ribs… The skin had just collapsed to nothing, it was horrible,” he said.

Kent managed to get out of the canyon with the dog, and once they were out, he could not bear the thought of the animal ever being alone again. That’s why he decided to adopt him!

Check out the video below to see the full recovery this puppy has made, and SHARE this story so your friends and family can see this as well!