Many people refer to him as a “dog catcher,” but Eldad Hagar prefers a title that feels far more accurate: dog rescuer. To him, it’s never about capturing an animal—it’s about slowly rebuilding trust with a soul that has been completely broken by the world.

When Eldad first came across Miley, the scene was heartbreaking. She was living on top of a mound of garbage, her fragile body covered in mange, sores, and painful infections. In situations like hers, every minute matters. Often, the damage is so severe that a dog’s body simply shuts down before help arrives.

More Than an Hour on a Mountain of Trash

Eldad didn’t rush her. He didn’t force her. Instead, he sat beside her for over an hour, speaking softly, letting her know—bit by bit—that she was safe. He wanted this moment to be gentle, perhaps the first moment of true kindness she had ever known.

“People don’t realize how exhausting life on the streets is,” Eldad explains. “You’re constantly afraid. You never know who will hurt you or chase you away.”

Video: From Chains to Hope – A Paralyzed Dog’s Cry That Changed Everything

And then, something unexpected happened. When Miley finally felt secure, she didn’t hesitate. She didn’t need to be lifted. She climbed into the car all by herself, ready to leave that nightmare behind.

At the shelter, her body did what it hadn’t been able to do for years—she rested. For three straight days, Miley slept deeply, as if her soul finally believed it was safe enough to heal.

A Second Miracle Hidden in a Sewer

But Miley’s story was only part of this miracle.

Beneath the busy Five Freeway, deep inside a dark sewer tunnel, another small life was barely surviving. A tiny Chihuahua named Frankie had created a “home” out of scraps and trash, right in the center of the tunnel.

To reach him, Eldad had to crawl into complete darkness—fully aware that if an earthquake struck, that tunnel could collapse and become his grave.

Frankie wasn’t just physically weak. Emotionally, he was shut down. He had lived alone in the dark for so long that he no longer remembered what it felt like to be a dog.

When Two Broken Hearts Find Each Other

What happened next touched millions of people around the world.

When Miley and Frankie were introduced, they didn’t simply tolerate each other—they connected. It was as if they instantly recognized the pain they both carried.

In an incredible display of compassion, Frankie—the dog who had been afraid of everything—began licking Miley’s wounds. No one taught him to do that. He just knew.

Two souls once thrown away in darkness became each other’s greatest comfort.

Why Stories Like This Matter

People often ask rescuers how they can keep going after seeing so much suffering.

The answer is simple: transformation.

Watching a dog go from weak, hopeless, and dying to healthy, joyful, and full of life in just a matter of days reminds everyone that change is possible.

So many people see themselves in dogs like Miley and Frankie. If they can rise from trash piles and tunnels, then maybe—just maybe—there is hope for anyone who feels forgotten.

Miley and Frankie are no longer “trash dogs.”

They are living proof that love can rewrite any story.