“We didn't choose her, she chose us! We just happened to be at the right place at the right time.” –Clarissa F. of New York, NY

Life in a big city can be tough for any animal. Loud noises and crowded spaces can make a sprawling city seem like a wild jungle of concrete, and for those animals who may not have a place to call home, these mean streets can be even meaner.

When we met now six-year-old Monkey, life as a stray in New York City had been difficult. The small, seven pound dog was left in critical condition in April 2016 after being struck by a car. Monkey suffered from severe pelvic fractures and was unable to walk. She was taken to a veterinary hospital in Midtown, Manhattan, where she caught the eye of a very special veterinary nurse named Rose. Due to the severity of her injuries and the fact that she was a stray, the scared pup was transferred to the ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH) to undergo surgery, but Rose wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Monkey. She’d already sent a picture of the sweet dog to her partner Clarissa, and the pair anxiously awaited the day that they could be reunited with Monkey. 

At the ASPCA Animal Hospital, the veterinary team noted that Monkey’s injuries were some of the most severe they had ever  seen. Surgeons worked quickly to fix the fractures, and placed an implant in her left hip. Monkey’s recovery took nearly four months—including foster care and eight weeks of cage rest—before she was able to slowly become more active.

Monkey’s recovery was nothing short of remarkable, but that’s not where this resilient dog’s story ends. Though months had gone by, Rose and Clarissa never forgot Monkey. Prior to meeting the injured dog, Rose would send Clarissa photos of animals in need of homes that would come through her hospital, and while there were many that they wanted to adopt—there was something about Monkey.

“We knew from the minute we held her in April, that she was the one; soulful eyes, scruffy face, and sweeter-than-sugar personality,” says Clarissa. 

So the couple waited patiently for those four months while Monkey healed. Their reunion with the pint-sized pup sealed the deal: Monkey had found her family. Clarissa tells us that in that moment, she looked in Monkey’s eyes, with tears in her own, and told Rose that she knew that the little dog needed them. She knew that Monkey was the one they’d been waiting for.

Since her intensive recovery and adoption, nothing has slowed Monkey down. “Monkey led the way from the first minute we walked out of the ASPCA. She pranced so proudly down the street and towards our apartment,” says Clarissa. Monkey’s adjustment was easy for everyone—and she even gained two cat siblings in her new home. Clarissa tells us that Monkey and her one cat sibling Moose have become inseparable. 

Despite her history and past trauma, Monkey loves spending her days in Central Park and enjoys playtime at the Carl Schurz dog run. She’s even become a “little lady who brunches” with her pet parents on the Upper East Side. She has become a happy-go-lucky sweetheart and a lover of all things thanks to the care and devotion from Rose and Clarissa.

You can create your own Happy Tail like Monkey’s by adopting a shelter pet today!