“No matter what mood we are in, Nala is always there wagging her tail and giving us love. She is the perfect match for our little family.” –Tiffany C. of New York, NY

In November 2016, New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers found an underweight, frightened pit bull-mix abandoned in a shed. Scared and alone, the two-year-old dog, known as Nala, desperately needed help. The officers rushed Nala to the ASPCA for immediate medical attention. The veterinary team at the ASPCA’s Animal Recovery Center (ARC) worked quickly to get Nala’s weight up and to tend to a wound on her tail. The veterinarians determined that the wound came from a condition known as “happy tail,” a condition most commonly found in dogs who are confined in small spaces for extended periods of time because their wagging tails hit the sides of their enclosures. This is seen most often in “happy” dogs because they wag their tails so much that it is hard for the wound to heal. 

The veterinary team made the difficult decision to amputate most of Nala’s tail in order to prevent further injury, allowing Nala to be as happy as she wanted to be in the future. Once she healed and reached a healthier weight, Nala was able to move to the ASPCA Adoption Center and begin her search for a loving home. 

At the Adoption Center, Nala quickly became known for her lovable charm and her 100-watt smile. It wasn’t long before the sweet dog was spotted by a couple looking to adopt.

“We moved here a year-and-a-half ago and decided it was best to leave our dogs back home in Arizona with family where they grew up,” Tiffany C. tells us. Soon after their move, Tiffany and her fiancé realized that they were ready to bring a new furry friend into their family, and they decided that adoption was the way to go. “We both know that the love and relationship between a human and their dog is unbeatable and everlasting, so we figured why not rescue a dog in need and do a good deed as well.”

Tiffany tells us that before looking at the ASPCA Adoptable Dogs webpage, she’d mentioned to her fiancé that she thought the name “Nala” was beautiful. “Then, I woke up one morning after discussing going through with the idea of searching for a dog, and Nala was the very first dog who popped up on the page to be adopted,” she says. It was as if it was meant to be. The couple then went to the Adoption Center to meet her in person, and the rest is history. 

The connection for the trio was instant. “She was full of puppy love kisses and wanted nothing but attention,” Tiffany says. So the couple made the adoption official and took Nala to her new home, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the once neglected dog.

Nala’s adjustment to her new surroundings was easy, according to Tiffany. “She sure is a bed hog, but we wouldn't want it any other way,” Tiffany says. “She takes part in just about everything we do.” 

In her new home, Nala has learned a few new tricks and makes herself comfortable whenever she can. “She tends to think that she is smaller than she actually is, and always wants to sit on our laps or in between us on the couch,” Tiffany tells us. Nala has truly become one of the family and will never again spend her days confined and alone. Instead, the rest of her days will remain filled with love, laughter and family.

You can create a Happy Tail of your own by adopting a dog from your local shelter today!