Meet Courage — this resilient dog was rescued by the Cape of Good Hope SPCA after being buried alive on a beach. When the call first came in, it was unclear if his rescuers would be able to save him in time. Courage refused to give up, though, and even though he seemed defeated when he was finally rescued, he was still alive.

“When I finally reached him, he was curled up in a ball and he didn’t move — I thought I was too late,” Lee Prins, an inspector with the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, said in a press release.

As soon as Courage was safe, his recovery journey began. His rescuers may have named him Courage, but they had no idea how fitting the name would be at the time. The poor pup had so many challenges ahead of him, but he faced every single one with bravery and grace.

Over the past several months, Courage has dealt with a skin condition, emaciation, arthritis and a tumor. He’s undergone countless different treatments, including chemotherapy. He took it all in stride, though, because he knew he was finally safe and loved.

Courage looked as if he’d lived a thousand lives when he first arrived in the care of his rescuers. Now, he looks like a completely different dog.

Courage has healed in leaps and bounds, and now all he needs is a home and a family to call his own. He’ll need to be the only dog in a family who can handle managing his medication. Otherwise, he just needs love.

From being buried alive to waiting for a home, Courage has come such a long way. He has a new lease on life and so much love to give, and can’t wait to give it to a very lucky family.