A dog named Joon made it to adoption, but her story started when an NYPD officer discovered her abandoned in a cardboard box on a Queens curb. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Maltese mix was so heavily matted she was "barely recognizable."
What followed was a multistep recovery, including care in Manhattan for her physical condition; a stay in Pawling, New York, focused on behavior; and at the end, adoption by a Queens resident who bonded with her right away.
Here's what to know
According to an Instagram post and accompanying article from the ASPCA (@aspca), the officer found the dog in April, marking the start of Joon's recovery story.
Once at the ASPCA Animal Hospital in Manhattan, Joon was found by staff to be underweight, with a badly matted and soiled coat. The ASPCA said prolonged exposure to urine and feces had inflamed her hind end.
Staff sedated Joon before shaving her, the ASPCA said. Afterward, the organization called the change "an incredible transformation."
Beyond her physical condition, the ASPCA said Joon was anxious and shut down, making clear that she needed a setting where she could recover medically while learning that people were safe.
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More background
She next went to the ASPCA Recovery & Rehabilitation Center in Pawling, a low-stress setting the organization said was tailored to her "behavioral and emotional needs."
By the ASPCA's account, she was traumatized and reluctant to engage.
Staff used treats, patience, and consistent handling, and the ASPCA said that approach helped Joon "open up and widen her circle of trusted people." She also started to enjoy the setting.
"She would get the zoomies and loved sniffing the grass," Kelly Lewis, a care and enrichment technician, said.
Lewis continued to build trust and slowly started petting Joon to get her comfortable with human touch.
While grieving Benji, her 10-year-old Bichon-poodle mix, Christina C. found Joon's adoption listing. She drove to meet Joon, and the ASPCA said the dog "instantly felt comfortable with her."
What's being done
Christina told the ASPCA that Joon was thriving in her new environment.
"She displayed the exact same positive and contented behaviors with her adopter as she did with us," she said. "That makes me feel confident she'll have a happy and fulfilling life."
Back in Queens, Joon was getting increasingly comfortable sitting with Christina, spending time in her bed, engaging with Christina's mother, and running wild in the backyard.
"Adopting her is the best decision I've ever made," Christina told the ASPCA.
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