An ER nurse from Texas found a severely injured puppy on the side of the road and she didn't think twice before rescuing him. Six months later, the pup is unrecognizable.

In a viral TikTok video shared in November by @christinaamaee, the scared Great Pyrenees, estimated to be around 4 months old at the time, can be seen abandoned on the side of the road, alone, standing up excited as soon as he sees the poster's car pull up close.

"It's been six months since I found Max on the side of the road. This is our monthly recap since finding him," reads the layover text in the clip. "Took him home with no plans on keeping him."

When he was found, his leg was severely broken and doctors had even suggested an amputation. Meanwhile, the pup had already won the hearts of the poster and her two pets, a labrador retriever and a kitten.

"So we had to convince my husband for him to stay. We kept him... Drove three hours for his first surgery. [Then] he had a second surgery. Then he had his third and final surgery," the text continues, as Max is back in the shot, looking like a different dog, healthy and happy.

If you find an injured dog in the street, your instinct may be to hug or cuddle them, but according to the Royal Veterinary College University of London, that is the last thing you should do. The dog may be frightened and in pain and may bite or scratch you.

Instead, you should contact your veterinarian, who will give you detailed guidelines on how to approach the dog. Avoid feeding the animal or giving them any medications unless the vet tells you so, and drive carefully to avoid further injury.

You should only approach the dog if they appear calm, some dogs in distress may become aggressive and need professional restraint. If that's the case, stay away from the animal and contact your local dog warden for help.

Pet abandonment is a big issue in the country, which is leaving shelters nationwide constantly over-flooded with newcomers.

It is estimated that each year 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

While most dogs get re-homed, around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year, often due to lack of space.

The video quickly went viral on social media and it has so far received over 6 million views and 539,600 likes on the platform.

One user, Sheri Meninga, commented: "There's a special place for you in heaven! Thank you for saving him."

Kdaniel1124 said: "So he won the lottery twice? He got to keep you AND his leg."

Caddiss2021 added: "He has blossomed. With you & your family. He is right where he belongs."

Newsweek reached out to @christinaamaee for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.

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