SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — It’s been five months since the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Animal Enforcement Deputy responded to an animal cruelty case he’ll never forget, and now both dogs are living a happy ending.

Deputy Tony Wilbanks got an anonymous tip back in October. “When I saw the dog I couldn’t tell what breed it was, because it was so underfed and malnourished,” Wilbanks said at the time.

He found Jenny and Suzie at a home in the Bryant area. Jenny should have weighed around 70 pounds. She weighed 37.

Suzie, a small-breed dog, was underweight too.  Both dogs immediately got the care they needed. Jenny had to live with a foster family because she was in such bad shape. Suzie recovered at a local shelter.

The former owners, later Helena Michelle Moses and Joseph Lee Fisher, plead guilty to animal cruelty charges and surrendered the dogs.

Now, both dogs are living a completely different life.

“She’s living a good life now,” Wilbanks said, as Jenny sat by his feet.

“Since I talked with you last, of course I didn’t tell anybody then, but I was the one fostering Jenny out from the get-go because of her special needs. I’m a sucker. She looked at me and I fell in love with her.”

Jenny became a part of his family. “I actually adopted her. She’s at my house now. She’s getting along really well with my family and my other dogs.”

She’s come a long way since Wilbanks found her. “She’s back up to average weight of a Doberman,” Wilbanks said, “I weighed her this morning and she weighs 68 pounds.”

Suzie got adopted by a family out-of-state and she’s up to par health-wise, too.

People from all over called us and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office wanting to know how they could help. The sheriff’s office posted updates to Facebook to update on their recovery.

Now, five months later, both dogs are living a happy ending.

“Couldn’t ask for a better dog,” Wilbanks said.