Although the shelter intended for them to be adopted separately, Chicky and Goofy starved themselves when they were placed in different kennels.
These two brothers were doomed to a life of misery after a shelter decided they would be separated, until one New York woman went great lengths to rescue them as they intended, together.
Read: Rescued Pup Acts as Guide Dog for Blind Friend at Shelter: 'They Truly Are a Bonded Pair'
Chicky, a 6-year-old chow chow, and Goofy, a 6-year-old terrier, were turned over to the Carson Animal Care Center in Los Angeles by the same owner.
Despite having grown up together as brothers, volunteers placed them in separate kennels, where they spent their days crying and refusing food, independent rescuer Christine Downs told InsideEdition.com.
"They're buddies," Downs said. "They like to be together."
Volunteers later reunited the pair in the same kennel, but their time together was limited.
According to Downs, when a veterinarian had been attempting to treat Chicky's eye for a tick infection, the rescue animal became aggressive and snapped.
While the shelter continued looking for a forever home for Goofy, his brother landed himself on a rescue list, meaning Chicky could only be adopted by a rescue organization, not a family.
Read: Dog Masterminds Escape From an Animal Shelter, Breaks Out of 3 Doors
That's when Katy DePasquale of New York noticed their sob story, and was determined to adopt them together, despite not being eligible to bring the chow chow home herself.
DePasquale then reached out to Christine Downs, who runs local rescue Bark Party.
"She said she wanted to adopt them, and she said, 'If you take [them in], I'll adopt them," Downs told InsideEdition.com.
Downs, who firmly believed in her cause, rescued the brothers from the shelter earlier this month.
In videos posted to her Facebook, Chicky and Goofy can be seen playing outside, and digging in the dirt in their first few days of freedom.
The pair will soon be brought to New York, where they will continue their lives with DePasquale and her family.
But Downs said Chicky and Goofy are not quite in the clear. Downs explained that because of their living conditions prior to being turned over to the shelter, both dogs had underlying medical conditions that needed to be addressed.
"They obviously haven't been treated well," Downs told InsideEdition.com. "The chow was infested with ticks, and the other guy had broken teeth and they're going to have to be removed."
Read: American Travels to Dog Meat Festival in China to Rescue More Than 1,000 Canines
The rescuer estimated it would cost at least $1,000 to nurse the two pups back to health.
For more information on donating to their care, visit Bark Party's website.
Watch: Lost Dalmatian Wanders Into Fire Station, Makes Himself at Home Among Firefighters
