Anything is paw-sible.
The “ugly” Florida pup whose heartbreaking struggle to get adopted went viral last year has been welcomed into a loving home, the shelter announced.
Lena — formerly Duchess — is now a “cherished” member of a family of four: she joins the couple who adopted her and “spoil her rotten,” and another rescue dog, said Rescue Dogs Dream, Inc., who saved her from an Orlando shelter.
Lena even had surgery to get rid of her under-eye deformities that made her adoption so difficult.
The pup — who was surrendered due to a landlord issue — was born with large keloids, or tufts of scarred skin and fur, under each eye.
Orange County Animal Services appealed to the public just before the December holidays in hopes of finding Lena a forever home — and to express sadness over the harsh comments they heard visitors say about the unique canine.
“She looks so ugly,” “How much is this gonna cost me?” and “She’ll never get adopted” were just some of the judgments people made as they hurried past Lena’s kennel, pretending not to notice her, the shelter said.
“We know sitting in a kennel, day after day, and watching people walk by on the other side of those bars has to take its toll. It is especially hard when no one even stops to look at you. When you have to watch other dogs get pulled, get taken out, get taken home,” the shelter wrote in a heart-wrenching post.
“The heartbreaking part is that Dutchess absolutely adores everyone. She runs up to the kennel doors every day, excited for the new day, relentlessly optimistic. For her, each day brings new people, and with that, new hope for adoption. Dutchess doesn’t know a bad day.”
The post was shared thousands of times and flooded with comments from hundreds of interested parties until the pup was finally connected with her new family.
The couple, whose identities weren’t disclosed, took Lena home just weeks after she broke the internet.
They helped her through a successful surgery to remove the deformities and regularly take her on hikes and other adventures, Rescue Dogs Dream, Inc announced.
Since settling into her forever home, Lena has graduated from a level one doggie training class and is on her way to level two training followed by a good canine citizen class.
Her new family described her as “the sweetest dog they have ever met,” but admit she still causes some trouble.
“She’s still a counter surfer and has helped herself to some sticks of butter and cheeseburgers from the grill but we’re working on that,” they said, according to the rescue shelter.
“She’s so sweet, just loves to play and be around us all the time … She is a wonderful girl and we love her so much!!”