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On a cold February day, I was driving down the street in a disadvantaged community when I saw a dog walking unaccompanied and collarless. This dog had a goofy look, as one of her ears pointed up and the other down. Seeing this, I pulled over and jumped out of my car to figure out with whom or where she belonged. Crazily, I approached this strange dog without a bit of trepidation.

As we came closer to each other, I realized how thin she was and how large tufts of fur were missing from her coat. Suddenly, a woman yelled out of her window, telling me that this creature, Muppet, was a "neighborhood dog" and that she had a wonderful master, who was elderly, taken sick and taken away in an ambulance. Then she said, "Don't worry, Muppet is okay."

My heart sank, realizing that Muppet had nowhere to go and was hungry, thirsty and cold. I desperately wanted to take her home but already had four unsocialized cats living in my house.

So day after day, I tried to place Muppet in a shelter, but no one wanted an unhealthy dog. I'd go down her street each day and feed Muppet while trying to find a solution to this excruciating problem. Finally, a blizzard was predicted for the next day and I took her home until an answer was found, hoping for the best.

Well, four years later, that sweet and loyal doggy is still living in our home. She is spoiled and adored by her sibling cats and anyone else who meets her. I shudder to think of what would have occurred had I not driven down her street on that February day. She has been transformed from a homeless dog into a diva and finally, Muppet's okay!

Story submitted by Merryl Handel from Woodmere, New York.

This story was originally shared on The Animal Rescue Site. Share your very own rescue story here!