Robert Leigh

It's a condition known as "hypertrichosis" or "Ambras Syndrome," but in the 1500s it would transform one man into a national sensation and iconic fairy-tale character. His name: Petrus Gonsalvus, more commonly known today as the hairy hero of Beauty and the Beast.

The dedicated team at the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a private charity, responds to a variety of distress calls involving an average of more than 100 animals per day. This series documents the work they do, from the initial investigation through, in some cases, the animals being adopted into loving homes.