Galway, Ireland - A bull terrier mix named Dougie has had it hard, and things aren't looking up. This rescue dog has been waiting more than 450 days for someone to adopt him, and his rescuers are heartbroken.

"Dougie had such a sad start in life," rescuers from Mutts Anonymous Dog Rescue and Adoption (MADRA) wrote on Facebook in early December, a year after he was rescued.

"He arrived to us in a dreadful state with open sores and very little coat left due to untreated mange; he looked like a defeated old boy," the rescuers said.

Dougie's caretakers worked hard to help the sick dog, treating his wounds and helping him gain weight. Their efforts succeeded, and Dougie became healthy enough for adoption. But that was over a year ago.

Dougie is still at the shelter and looking for a family to love. "It's a tragedy," Marina Fiddler, co-founder of MADRA, told Newsweek. "He is a bundle of love, and nobody wants him."

Dougie has been at the shelter for over 18 months and has made wonderful progress, Marina explained.

"We don't know what happened to him, but we can tell he wasn't a very well-loved pet," she added. "He had serious trauma."

"Thankfully, a little TLC goes a long way with animals; once they realize they are safe and can trust someone, then the recovery can happen very fast."

Dougie is healthy and ready to move on from shelter life. He just needs someone to choose him.

The dog rescuer noted that this white pooch would make a great pet for an active family, adding, "He would suit a home with older kids and would love to run around the garden then snuggle on the sofa; that would be his dream."