Marshall’s Miracle is an inspiring new movie based on the true story of a Labrador Retriever who was found in terrible shape at the home of an animal hoarder.

In the film, which opens today in select cities, Finn, a 12-year-old boy who is bullied daily at school, finds Marshall, the dog, living in deplorable conditions outside the home of one of his bullies, along with 60 other dogs.

Though Finn forms a special bond with the sweet canine, he knows his stressed, single mother won’t allow him to have a dog. But he plots a daring rescue for Marshall, who is being bullied himself by the other dogs on the property.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyPcmB8y2D4In real life, Marshall and more than 60 other dogs were discovered by an Animal Planet crew filming an episode of Confessions: Animal Hoarding in 2010 on an abandoned property in Missouri, according to the film’s website. The dogs were rescued by the Humane Society of Missouri and found loving homes.

Marshall, who was then 2 years old, was the worst off of all the dogs who were rescued. Once he healed from needing to have his leg amputated, Cyndi Willenbrock came across the Humane Society’s video about him. A week later, he found his forever home with Willenbrock and his new big brother, Mooshy, according to his Facebook page.

Realizing how joyful and tender Marshall was, Willenbrock got him certified as a therapy dog. He now visits classrooms and children’s hospitals with Willenbrock to inspire kids with his survival story.

“Now, Marshall knows he has a job to do,” his Facebook bio reads. “That job is to give back, and share his courage and his strong will to overcome his abuse and neglect. To reassure children (and adults) that we all matter, we all have a light that wants and needs to shine, and that there is a hero in all of us.”

Willenbrock wrote a children’s book about Marshall’s story, and she’s the producer of Marshall’s Miracle. To see if the movie is playing near you, check here.

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