Mama dog found in ‘bad shape’ needed a home. Then came the ‘perfect match’

A mama dog found in “bad shape” was saved — but she needed a home.

Then came the good news that the rescued dog got the “perfect match,” according to a North Carolina animal shelter.

“The family who adopted Snowball had previously lost their beloved dog, who was similar to Snowball,” Becca Andrews, marketing coordinator for the Asheville Humane Society, told McClatchy News in a Sept. 29 email. “When the couple visited, Snowball went right up to them despite being aloof toward most people.”

The couple adopted Snowball, who has since been renamed Millie. The family in a Facebook post said the mama dog has brought “so much joy” as she settles into their home.

The heartwarming update came after Snowball and her puppies landed at the shelter in March. They were picked up as strays, but their rescuer them couldn’t keep them.

“When Snowball arrived at our rescue, she was in bad shape: matted fur, timid, and fiercely protective of her newborn puppies,” the shelter wrote on Facebook. “Her past had clearly been rough and she had every reason to be wary of the world.”

Then, Snowball went through an “incredible change” as she started to build trust.

“After an expert grooming and placement in a warm, loving foster home, she slowly blossomed,” the shelter wrote. “Her first few days were tough; she would become scared and standoffish whenever anyone, but especially men, came close to her puppies.”

As the foster family showered her with patience, she became known as a “sweet” dog and a “great” mom to her two babies. Eventually, her pups — Kenai and Koda — both got new owners.

The following day, Snowball’s luck also took a turn for the better. The couple adopted her after she made an impression during their meet-up.

“She even went and sat comfortably in the lap of the man even though she was usually more timid around men,” Andrews wrote. “The adopters said that’s how they knew she was the one.”