“She filled an emptiness that we had in our hearts. Thank you so much for letting us adopt Jenny.” –Rafael S. of New York, NY.

Every day, countless homeless animals wander the streets and wonder where their next meal will come from. Sadly, many of these animals will never know the comforts of a loving home. It is animals like these that make the ASPCA work that much harder—finding ways to prevent and control animal homelessness is one of our key issues.

In early September 2015, we were lucky enough to meet a very special Chihuahua named Paula. Paula, like so many other animals, was once a stray. The two-year-old pup had been brought into the ASPCA Adoption Center after being found wandering Manhattan’s busy streets. The Good Samaritan that found Paula initially wanted to keep her, but sadly, he was unable to due to personal concerns. The lovable nine-pound dog was in good health, and was known by everyone at the Adoption Center as sweet and affectionate. It was no surprise when just over a month later, a potential adopter took an interest in the small dog.

Rafael S. and his wife had recently decided that they were ready to adopt another dog after losing their beloved pet, “Chi-Chi.” At the time, they had three other small dogs: Luna, Mini and Blackie. As Rafael and his wife toured the Adoption Center, they were immediately struck by Paula. The couple quickly decided to make the adoption official, and at the end of October 2015, Paula was renamed Jenny and moved on to her new life.

Jenny’s first Christmas with her family.

It wasn’t long before Jenny settled into her new family, even finding a special connection with her new mom. “We were very surprised to see how fast she adjusted to us, and to her new home,” Rafael says. “It's like she knew that she belonged with us. From the day we adopted her till now, she sleeps with my wife.”

Jenny with her pet parents.

Jenny’s transition from scared stray to beloved family member is truly heartwarming. It seems that her connection with her new family was simply meant to be. Rafael and his wife struggled with the loss of one of their pets, and were able to find solace in Jenny’s love. “Jenny has filled an emptiness in our hearts that we’ve had since our baby Chi-Chi passed away,” says Rafael. “My wife is always taking pictures of her. Jenny loves her mother.”

Left: Jenny with her brother Blackie. Right: Jenny with her sisters Luna and Mini.