If there's one subject that's sure to enrage internet users, it's animal cruelty. People on social media are usually disgusted by even the suggestion that an animal has been hurt or left in pain, and so circulating footage of actual abuse is like dropping a lit match in a fireworks factory: a bad idea. If you want proof of this axiom, then look no further than the following example below. This week, social media users have had their collective hearts broken by a distressing clip of a dog which was abandoned by its owners, and who can be seen desperately trying to get back into their car.

The upsetting video was first uploaded by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals charity, who had discovered the footage from a CCTV camera from the town of Stoke-on-Trent in England, on the corner of Timor Grove and Pacific Road in Stoke. The incident took place at approximately 5 pm on Monday 17 December, and the video shows a Staffordshire bull terrier dog named Snoop being left behind by two people.

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Commenting on the heartbreaking clip, RSPCA Inspector Natalie Perehovsky stated: "The footage has to be seen to be believed, it's just awful. To see the poor dog in such obvious distress jumping up at the car as it drives away it just heart-breaking. I can't understand how someone could do this. The vets scanned his microchip and we have traced two previous owners in the Birmingham area, but do not believe either are the current owners, and therefore not those responsible for abandoning the dog."

She added "One man can be seen clearly in the footage dumping the dog, and there is a second person in the driver seat of the car. I am very keen to hear from anyone who recognises the vehicle, the man or the dog. The veterinary staff have nicknamed the dog Snoop, and he is in good condition, thought to be two years old."

"He is a white Staffie with black marking, and is such a friendly, lovely boy. He's currently being cared for at a private boarding kennel where he will get all the care he needs whilst I investigate further. It's beggars belief that someone could abandon a dog like this at Christmas, but we are so thankful to the kind people who found Snoop sitting sadly in his bed, for taking him to the safety of vets straight away."

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Thankfully, a helpful bystander discovered Scoop in his dog bed an hour after he'd been left behind, and brought him to a vet, who phoned RSPCA for help. The charity has now launched an investigation into the case, and are determined to find the dog's owner. If you or anyone else you know has any information to provide, then please contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999. Remember: a pet is for life, not just for Christmas.

No matter how great we consider our human buddies to be, the title of 'man's best friend' will always belong to dogs. Yeah, they might not be able to hold a decent conversation, and, no, they probably won't help you move house - but they're loyal, and they're adorable, and they're more selfless than any person you'll ever meet. It turns out, though, that the love we have for dogs goes beyond that of a simple friendship. A recent study by Professor Jack Levin and Professor Arnold Arluke from Northeastern University in Boston tested how empathetic people were to dogs in comparison to humans, and the results were pretty eye-opening. During the experiment, 240 participants were given one of four newspaper articles, each describing a vicious attack "with a baseball bat by an unknown assailant". The police report included in the articles was almost exactly the same every time: "Arriving on the scene a few minutes after the attack, a police officer found the victim with one broken leg, multiple lacerations, and unconscious," it said. "No arrests have been made in the case." However, one change was made between the four: the identity of the victim. In the first article, the subject of the attack was a 30-year-old person, in the second it was an infant child, and in the other two, the victim was a defenceless six-year-old dog or a young puppy. But which victim did people feel most sorry for? Well, dog-lovers, it'll probably come as no surprise to you, but the dog received more empathy than the human. In fact, the poor 30-year-old came last out of all four victims, with the human baby and the puppy pretty much tied in first place in terms of who received the most empathy. “Respondents were significantly less distressed when adult humans were victimized, in comparison with human babies, puppies and adult dogs,” the study concluded. “Only relative to the infant victim did the adult dog receive lower scores of empathy.” It added that, "Subjects did not view their dogs as animals, but rather as 'fur babies,' or family members alongside human children." In a way, this makes sense. An adult human being should be far more capable of fending off another human attacker than a dog or a baby would be, so it's natural to show more concern for the weaker victims. And people have known this for a while. In a 2015 UK campaign, one charity distributed two sets of images: one of a young child, and one of a really sad-looking little puppy. Each set of pictures had the same copy on them - "Would you give £5 to save Harrison from a slow, painful death?" As you may have guessed, the downtrodden doggy received more attention than the person.

"The fact adult human crime victims receive less empathy than do child, puppy, and full-grown dog victims suggests adult dogs are regarded as dependent and vulnerable not unlike their younger canine counterparts and kids," said professor Levin.

"In addition, it appears that adult humans are viewed as capable of protecting themselves while full-grown dogs are just seen as larger puppies."

The researchers also believe that results would be similar for cats, as, "These are animals to which many individuals attribute human characteristics." As fascinating as these results may be, we've got to admit that we always knew it to some extent. After all, there's no better person than a dog.        

A woman has shared the terrifying story of how a dog bit her nose off, leaving her with life-changing injuries and a three-year journey of facial reconstruction.

In a viral TikTok video, she recalls the moment that changed her life forever, just ten days after meeting her now-fiancé.

She says she had been dating her now-fiancé for a little over a week when he suggested a trip to Florida to visit his brother.

The group stayed at the brother's house, where his girlfriend's dog (an enormous Boerboel) was present.

As she says: "if you don't know what that is, look it up, it's absolutely huge, it's an African mastiff, like, insanely big, I'm lucky to be alive."

She describes the bite as "completely unprovoked, like, I wasn't really doing anything with the dog." The scene was casual: "there was me, my now-fiancé, the dog owner, and we were all sitting on the floor playing with, there were two dogs, there was also a chocolate lab, so we're, like, petting the dogs, whatever," she remembers.

She says she reached to pet the Boerboel and "then the next thing I know, he is latched onto me, like this, and not letting go."

Credit: @sincerelyjord / TikTok.

Panic followed. "Everyone's kind of, like, screaming, it was, like, really traumatic, everybody's screaming," she recalls.

She says she tried to stay steady in the chaos: "everyone's freaking out, and I'm, like, everybody please, please calm down, like, you guys need to calm down so I can remain calm."

When the dog finally released her, "blood pouring out of my face," she says, the household rushed her to hospital.

"They did call an ambulance, but we honestly passed the ambulance on the way to the hospital, because we had been drinking," she adds.

She says adrenaline dulled the pain. "My adrenaline was just going, it was such an insane feeling, and, I mean, I felt, like, some pain, but it wasn't, like, I don't know..."

She does not know why the attack happened.

"I'm still not sure why exactly the dog bit my nose, because if this dog was to be super, super aggressive to me, he would have killed me," she says, noting the dog was young: "I think he was only, like, a year old."

She wonders if a nose ring, or the alcohol on her breath ("we also were drinking, so I had alcohol in my breath") played a part.

The woman is still facing years of further reconstructive surgery. Credit: @sincerelyjord / TikTok.

Since that night she has visited "many different hospitals, many different surgeons," beginning a reconstruction process she calls "three years and counting."

Despite the trauma, the account ends with gratitude and determination: "I'm lucky to be alive," she repeats. She notes "yes, the dog is still alive."

Featured image credit: @sincerelyjord / TikTok.

Dogs are referred to as man's best friend, cats are beloved by the internet writ large and just about every other furry creature has its own Instagram account and following in this age of social media that we live in. Certainly, whether it's a perfect chocolate Labrador performing party tricks or an incredibly grumpy cat showing shade at anything that passes it by, the people of the internet are enamoured and continue to follow, like and share every offering. So when we witness or hear about an act of cruelty against our little companions, we can't help but feel incredibly incensed. An unfortunate example of this occurred last week, when a man was filmed while he repeatedly hit a confused dog around the face for not being able to learn the alphabet. Yes, there are some absolutely terrible human beings in the world. In a video which has since been removed from YouTube, a man is shown attempting to teach a canine how to recite the alphabet. While it's unknown why someone would take on such a fruitless endeavour, the man seemed absolutely nonplussed about the fact that the dog was unable to read his "ABC's". The man then proceeded to get physical with the dog, slapping it on its jaw while shouting abuse. With his other hand, he grabbed the dog's paw and tried to wrap it around a pencil, attempting to force the dog to write. The clearly perplexed animal obviously fails to do what the man asks, and in order to make the dog pay attention the man proceeds to slap the dog once again. The poor animal tried to retaliate by opening its jaws and baring its teeth at his tormenter, but the man just continued to hit the animal whilst shouting and repeatedly pointing at a notebook. The video first made the rounds on social media in India, and the initial reaction was bizarrely rather positive, with viewers claiming that the clip was "funny". However, once the now-removed video reached YouTube, viewers were disgusted by the display of animal cruelty. One user wrote, "I want to know who this guy is hitting the dog, this is a horrible video," while others called for the man to be identified and dealt with by the appropriate authorities. Director of PETA UK, Lisa Allen, issued the following statement in response to the disturbing footage: "This man is a coward and a bully who viciously slapped and upset a dog simply to assert his own pathetic idea of dominance. The rise of smartphone technology and social media has given twisted individuals such as this one some fleeting viral fame. PETA urges authorities to use the same technology to ensure that this man’s deliberate and cruel attack on “man’s best friend” sees him charged and convicted under the law before his feelings of inadequacy take an even greater toll." And a spokesperson for the RSPCA corroborated, "Sadly, a lot of people think it’s funny to share pictures and videos online of animal cruelty and abuse. However, many people are not prepared to accept the things they see online and are quick to report videos like this to organisations, such as the RSPCA, and we applaud them for standing up against animal cruelty." We can only hope that the man in question is dealt with rapidly. Animal cruelty in any form should never be tolerated, let alone be available to be viewed on social media.

[caption id="attachment_2843" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / TrioAnimalFoundation[/caption] Adoption, it saves lives. That is what we are always being told by shelters and rescues. And there is a good reason, it really does save lives. More than that, it gives the animals being adopted a whole new lease of life and a reason to look forward to the future. Animals have feelings too, some people might not think so, but it’s impossible not to believe it after seeing the before and after pictures of dogs who’ve been adopted. There is no denying that there is a huge difference in the look on these doggies’ faces, from the sadness of being abandoned and abused to being completely loved, these dogs show quite the transformation. And it is all thanks to the humans who have adopted them and provided them a loving home. The power of love is an incredible thing. Below is a heartwarming list of the incredible before and after pictures of adopted dogs. [post_page_title]This Before and After[/post_page_title] The before picture is completely heart-wrenching. Any animal lover would definitely cry seeing this. It definitely shows that animals can feel the same sadness as us humans. [caption id="attachment_2808" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Unknown[/caption] But the second picture shows an incredibly drastic change. Here we see a very happy and well-cared for dog. It's definitely a happy ending for this good boy. Just look at how majestic he is! [post_page_title]Saved from Euthanization[/post_page_title] Not going to lie, this picture really guts me to look at. This poor dog is so skinny and neglected, how can people do that?! It's hard to believe the poor thing was able to survive the ordeal. [caption id="attachment_2809" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / phil2146[/caption] But thanks to some kindness from the shelter worker who refused to give up on this dog, the next picture just gives you all the feels. Amazing job. [post_page_title]This Husky's Transformation[/post_page_title] Here is another image that will make you question people and why they could ever let their pets get so neglected. This poor little thing was all skin and bones. [caption id="attachment_2810" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / BittersweetSymphony[/caption] Thanks to pure love and affection, she was brought back to life. Now she is looking full and healthy and most importantly, happy. [post_page_title]Wynter[/post_page_title] One Reddit user uploaded this before and after of her dog Wynter. She explains that before she being adopted, the poor thing was living on the streets. [caption id="attachment_2811" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Coolmorecooties[/caption] Thanks to plenty of TLC, it looks like Winter is living her best life. She definitely had a stroke of luck getting adopted. Who'd have thought she'd the potential to grow such a luscious looking fur coat?! [post_page_title]Former Cellmates, Forever BFFs[/post_page_title] This one is so cute. These two dogs were surrendered to an animal shelter together. And while the odds of two dogs getting adopted together are slim, this is a pair who got lucky. Very, very lucky! [caption id="attachment_2812" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / RecurrentlyDisturb[/caption] Things weren't looking great for the pair, and you can see it in their eyes. They look so sad. When they did get adopted, they got a second chance at life. And they look so happy for it. [post_page_title]Pure Happiness[/post_page_title] This is Ripley. Ripley had quite the journey. The first picture is from Ripley at 6 months old in Iran. Clearly scared and lonely, all this pooch wanted was for someone to love her... [caption id="attachment_2813" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / besidethebed[/caption] Next picture is a very happy Ripley who looks like she's living the life of Riley. She is so happy. It's so cute. [post_page_title]Happy Hank[/post_page_title] Nothing is sadder than the face on little Hank on the left. You can just see the pain and sadness in those big brown eyes. If ever there was a picture of a dog on the verge of tears, the image on the left would be it. [caption id="attachment_2815" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / thecoiner[/caption] Unfortunately, this little guy had a rough start to life as an abused and timid puppy. But now look at him! He's got a smile going from ear to ear. [post_page_title]To Hell and Back[/post_page_title] This poor little guy had a sad start. He definitely looks like he went through hell and back. That first picture is one of a completely hopeless-looking doggy who was so sad. I mean, what the heck happened to his eye?! [caption id="attachment_2817" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Klaudija Sigurnjak[/caption] Now he's a well-groomed and happy-looking little guy. He looks like a proper dog now. Isn't it amazing to think that a TLC was able to turn him from looking scary and sick to adorable and healthy?! [post_page_title]Frank the Tank[/post_page_title] This poor little guy looks adorable even in his sad state. However, his little sad face is still so cute. It's no wonder someone saw him at the shelter and fell for those big, black eyes. [caption id="attachment_2818" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / frankthedoggotank[/caption] Thankfully though, he got adopted. And look at that face, just look at it. He looks so happy. And he's still so freakin' cute! That's a doggo smile that could melt even the coldest of hearts. [post_page_title]This Will Make You Feel All the Feels[/post_page_title] The person who posted this before and after was actually posting on behalf of her sister's dog. Here on the left, you can see him depressed in his kennel at the shelter. Absolutely heartbreaking, right? [caption id="attachment_2819" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / meriah_j[/caption] Now here he is on the right, post-adoption. The difference is huge. And it looks like his new owner is absolutely in love with him, I mean, just look at that cute little flower crown he's rocking. It's clear that he's very much loved, and it's written all over his face. [post_page_title]Puppy Gets New Life[/post_page_title] This little puppy had his rough start in the jungles of Mexico, where he was abandoned with his litter. Thankfully, they were nursed back to health by the local animal rescue foundation. [caption id="attachment_2820" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / shmandala[/caption] This little guy got his brand new shot at life after someone adopted him while on vacation down in Mexico. Today he's a happy, healthy little pup living his best life in Canada. [post_page_title]Left to Die[/post_page_title] I can't get past some people and their absolute disregard for animal life. It's actually scary to think that there are actual psychopaths out there who would happily leave a neglected puppy to die in a park. [caption id="attachment_2821" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / missblueyouwho[/caption] That is how this little girl was found on the left. With lots of love and care, she was brought back to life. And now, two years later, she is a happy healthy little pooch. It just goes to show you that bad situations can be turned around. [post_page_title]Pablo's Before and After[/post_page_title] Meet this little guy Pablo. His owners found him on the street and took him in. The first picture is from the night he was rescued. You can clearly see the sadness all over his face. [caption id="attachment_2822" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / imostlyobserve[/caption] The second picture shows an incredible change in him after only one week! It is so clear that he knows his life has changed for the better and he's so happy and grateful for it. [post_page_title]This Transformation[/post_page_title] Talk about a complete Cinderella change. You can't even see this dog's face from all the matted hair in the way. It is clear that he suffered plenty of neglect before being rescued. [caption id="attachment_2823" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / TrioAnimalFoundation[/caption] The second picture shows that there is indeed a happy little dog underneath the whole mess that was his unkempt coat. And we're so happy he has a new forever home that will keep him smiling for years to come. [post_page_title]All Smiles[/post_page_title] Speaking of smiles, this before and after set is definitely one for the books. The person who posted was the owner of Koda Bear. The OP revealed that the picture on the left is from the day before Koda Bear was adopted. [caption id="attachment_2824" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / mwisni[/caption] Now, look at Koda Bear on the right. That is him after only a few months. Clearly, he is happy as he's got a silly little grin on his face and we are so happy that he does. What a cute little boy. [post_page_title]Annie's Struggle[/post_page_title] This poor little girl was found living rough on the streets for 4 years! Imagine being homeless for that long. She was scared, and you can see it in her face in the first picture. [caption id="attachment_2825" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Echo_hello_world[/caption] The person posting the pictures of Annie revealed that they actually found her a home with their parents. And after only a week, the changes are real. Annie looks so comfy and happy all fast asleep in her new bed. So happy she got her happily-ever-after. [post_page_title]Scarlett[/post_page_title] Scarlett was in a shelter and was ready to be put down because of a minor skin condition. The person who posted her story on Reddit actually wasn't her owner but revealed that her friend was the one who adopted Scarlett. [caption id="attachment_2826" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / effexxor[/caption] And it was a good thing that they rescued her, I mean just look. This sweet girl is so happy and got such a lucky break in life. Her eyes have lit up in every sense of the word. [post_page_title]Incredible Changes[/post_page_title] It is always amazing to see the changes in dogs. This little guy was clearly so scared and timid after his struggles prior to adoption. [caption id="attachment_2827" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / mycatseatbetterthanIdo[/caption] And the changes are incredible. It's like seeing a whole new dog. Amazing what a little love can do for pets. [post_page_title]This Pup[/post_page_title] A person on Reddit shared this before and after of their pup that they adopted. The picture on the left shows such a sad and scared little dog. [caption id="attachment_2828" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Credit: Reddit / norightbrain[/caption] Cut to the second picture and it's a whole happy little dog. You wouldn't even know to look at them that they were once the dog on the left. Total change. [post_page_title]The Change Adoption Makes[/post_page_title] While all the pictures in this post are heartbreaking to see the befores, this before picture tugs on my heartstrings the most. This little dog looks so sad and so desperate to get out of the shelter. And who could blame them? [caption id="attachment_2829" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / aranjevi[/caption] Now on the right, is a beautifully happy dog that shows exactly what adoption can do for an animal. This is great. Also, what a gorgeous slobbery tongue. [post_page_title]Heartbreaking Before and After[/post_page_title] Nothing is sadder than a dog that is starving in the streets. This before picture is everything that is wrong with the world. How can anyone just let a dog, or any animal for that matter, get to this state? [caption id="attachment_2830" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / socks4tay[/caption] And thankfully, this little pupper got their happily ever after that they deserve. I am glad that they got adopted. [post_page_title]Rey[/post_page_title] This is Rey. The picture on the left is when Rey was on death row. From the picture, it is clear that Rey knew her time was up, that she wasn't going to be leaving the shelter alive. [caption id="attachment_2831" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / animatedrussian[/caption] But thanks to the wonderful person that adopted Rey, she got to walk out of the shelter a free woman. The difference is astonishing. In just one day, Rey became a completely different dog. Just goes to show you how emotionally intelligent animals actually are! [post_page_title]Waldo[/post_page_title] This is Waldo's transformation. As you can see from the first picture, he started off as crusty and underweight stray. And all it took was a little bit of love. [caption id="attachment_2832" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / priceisalright[/caption] That was all it took to help Waldo become the happy, fluffy boy that you see in the next picture. He is so lucky and it shows. [post_page_title]This Before and After Adoption[/post_page_title] This poor doggie is all skin and bones before being adopted. It is so sad to see this dog looking so skinny and so depressed. [caption id="attachment_2833" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / rosieposiepit[/caption] But the change is amazing in the next picture. This dog looks like a whole new dog. They are bright and cheery and it fills out hearts with all the feels. [post_page_title]Jasper[/post_page_title] Jasper is a little pup that started off his life in Romania. He looks so sad and depressed. Thankfully, little Jasper had a change of fortune. [caption id="attachment_2834" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / LittleMissZombiebait[/caption] Jasper had an incredible adoption story which involved him traveling all the way to the UK to his new home. And it is clearly all over his face how happy he is in his new life. [post_page_title]Nacho the One-Eyed Dog[/post_page_title] I would totally have adopted this little fellow had I come across him in a shelter myself. Thankfully, someone did manage to adopt little Nacho and give him the home he deserves. [caption id="attachment_2835" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / arubanmac88[/caption] He looks so happy in his new life. And that pirate eye of his seems to not bother him one bit. He is a happy little guy and it gives us all the feels. [post_page_title]Toby's New Life[/post_page_title] Toby spent two years in a county shelter. Can you imagine sleeping on the cold, hair floor with an uncomfortable crate for a pillow? It's just so sad to think about. [caption id="attachment_2836" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / Imgur[/caption] Things have certainly taken a turn for the better for Toby. This little dog certainly moved up in the world post-adoption and is now enjoying sleeping in the king-sized bed he deserves. [post_page_title]Teddy[/post_page_title] This set of before and after pictures were uploaded by Teddy's owners who wrote: "We found Teddy’s shelter picture and it’s heartbreaking. We’re so glad he came into our lives and is letting his sweet, goofy personality shine! Hopefully, he knows that he’ll be safe, clean, fed, and loved for the rest of his life." [caption id="attachment_2837" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / carrie.613[/caption] We can't agree more. We are so happy that his owners took him in and gave him the love and attention he deserves. Well done guys. [post_page_title]Harper[/post_page_title] Meet Harper who was adopted by her family from the Fairfax Animal Shelter. Prior to her adoption by her forever home, the poor girl had been adopted and returned three times - three times! - within the first year of her life. No wonder the poor girl looked so alone, confused, and scared. [caption id="attachment_2838" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / vizsla_harper[/caption] We are so delighted to see the difference in Harper. There is no doubt that constant love is what helped to make her the happy little girl you see on the right. [post_page_title]Midwestern Princess[/post_page_title] It is hard to imagine that this little girl on the left is the same dog that is on the right. She was a found as a stray in Houston. It was a rough start. [caption id="attachment_2839" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Credit: Reddit / ledronjames[/caption] But look at her now. She has moved up in the world, and through adoption, she has become a princess in her new Midwestern home. Isn't it wonderful when things change for the better?!