Many people coming across this scabby, stray puppy on a dirt road in Bali may just have walked on.

In a country of around half a million stray dogs, this weak, hairless animal could easily have just been written off as another sad statistic.

But Canadian couple Shayna Pitch and Brandon Nadeau who had set up home in Bali thought differently and decided to rescue the stray.

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This dog, Ruby, was found in a terrible state by Shayna and Brandon Pitch on the Indonesian island of Bali

While many would have left the stray dog – one of around 500,000 in Bali – the couple took it to a shelter

Shayna (right) and her husband visited Ruby in the shelter every day until she returned to good health

Brandon Pitch is pictured here playing with the puppy at the shelter after she was rescued

With the help of a local man, they piled the puppy – now known as Ruby – on to their bike and drove her 45 minutes to a nearby shelter.

And they were so determined to save the animal that they visited her every day in the shelter, according to Viralnova.

The couple slowly became more attached to her, and, in time, she would cry out of her cage when they left her.

The more the couple visited the animal, the more attached they became to her

And every time the couple, originally from Iowa, left, Ruby would cry out for them from her cage

When Ruby got better, Mr and Mrs Pitch decided to take her home with them

They decided to take her on despite the fact they already have four rescue dogs at home – and one cat

When she had returned to good health, Shayna and Brandon decided to take Ruby home with them.

They took her on despite the fact they already had four rescue dogs – and one cat – to take care of.

The Canadian couple are volunteers at the Bali Dog Adoption and Rehabilitation Centre (BARC) in Ubud.

According to CBC, there are around half a million stray dogs on the Indonesian island.

Ruby was rescued, but there remain around half a million other stray dogs on the Indonesian island of Bali

When they found Ruby in a dirt road, they loaded her on to their bike and drove her 45 minutes to the shelter

Ruby is now living happily with the Iowa couple and their other five pet animals in Bali