Nearly two years ago, Stella didn’t have a real home. She used whatever she could find to sleep on, including trash bags. The stray had so much love to give if only someone would give her a chance.
Then, the 1-year-old’s luck changed for the better — and it’s obvious by her amazing transformation.
Heather Martin was looking to add a new furry member to her family when she learned about Stella and knew they had to meet.
“A coworker shared with me about Pooches Out of Puerto Rico, so my husband and I looked into them,” Martin told The Dodo. “We fell in love [with Stella] instantly.”
Martin wanted the “loving, sweet, playful, curious super chewer, who loves to be in the sun” to become a part of her family right away, but Stella first needed veterinary care.
“Stella was left at a dump and somehow survived sleeping on garbage bags and eating whatever she could find,” Martin said. “She had extreme mange, roundworms, hookworms and scabies. She only weighed 9 pounds when they rescued her.”
After Stella received medical treatment, she was cleared to go to her new home. With Martin’s love, the once homeless dog’s appearance completely changed.
The experience led to another adoption from the rescue — a dog named Lulu — so that Stella could have a sibling to grow up with. And Stella’s “cuddle bug” personality brings a new hope into Martin’s life.
“Stella has been a ray of sunshine,” Martin said. “[She] knows when we need love and will cuddle us. She wants nothing but love and truly is perfect.”