Warning: the photos in this story/video may be disturbing to some viewers.

A Shiba Inu named Taka, who is now nine years old, was badly burned in a house fire in October 2018.

He spent months at Care More Animal Hospital in Martinez, Georgia, receiving love and care from staff to help him on his long road to recovery. With help from doctors from the Joseph M. Still Burn Center, Taka survived this very scary incident and healed as best as possible.

Once she was ready, Taka went to live at her forever home with Crystal Lesley, a vet tech at the hospital Taka was being treated at. Lesley, who felt like adopting Taka was meant to be, was beyond thrilled to give Taka a permanent home after everything he’s been through.

While Taka has many scars and has permanently lost the fur on his face and down his back, he doesn’t let his scary past hinder him from living life to the fullest. He always has a smile on his face and is truly grateful to be alive.

After receiving help from many people along the way, Taka is now ready to pay it forward and help others.

Taka is currently working with a trainer to become a therapy dog for the burn center. He has just passed his AKC Canine Good Citizen certification and is now onto his Therapy Dog Certification!

As a therapy dog at the burn center, Taka will be able to relate to a lot of the patients there.

“To see that he could be an encouragement or at least a light at the end of the tunnel for a child or anybody that has gone through what he’s gone through is what all of this is about,” Lesley told WRDW.

Click here to follow Taka’s journey on Facebook.