It might be hard to believe that two of the handsome boxers in the photos above were once shelter or rescue dogs with severe cases of mange and little hope of finding their forever homes. But Myles, left, and Merlin beat the odds, which is remarkable considering that according to the Humane Society of the United States, 6 million to 8 million pets enter shelters each year, and half of those animals are euthanized. Here are their stories. Merlin's path to his family began when Frank and Katie Rannou toyed with the idea of adding a third dog to their family. But plans took a back seat when Grace, their 8-year-old boxer, developed cancer and began a slow decline.
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Two boxers, Myles and Merlin, beat the odds as rescue dogs
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Mange, broken bones and deafness could have made these dogs un-adoptable
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Rescue dogs can have psychological challenges as well as physical
"The best way to honor @placeholder's legacy was to give another dog a wonderful home and lots of love," Rannou notes on her blog.