Chusa, a fluffy tri-colored dog, had been living in the streets of Puerto Rico for quite some time before a kind-hearted woman found her.
She was scared and lonely, even though she had been able to take care of herself for so long.
When she was found and taken in, she was so happy to be rescued and not have to fend for herself anymore.
But, her journey was not over, and she would have to deal with more instability before she found the place where she belonged.
Looking for Love
Knowing the rough conditions a stray goes through in the streets, the woman who found Chusa brought her home and took care of her.
However, she eventually flew to the US and had to give Chusa to a friend who worked in the coast guard.
Although it was quite an adjustment for the pup, her new fur mom treated her like her own and even brought her to work every day.
Unfortunately, she, too, came to the States and was forced to surrender Chusa to a local rescue organization, OBRA.
Chusa was confused and felt abandoned, even though both these women were doing the best they could for her.
Nevertheless, she had high hopes for the future and her optimism was about to pay off.
A Place to Call Home
OBRA was determined to find Chusa a permanent home so they teamed up with Underdog Pet Rescue of Wisconsin.
Togehter, they managed to fly Chusa to Wisconsin to find her forever home.
That was when Mary Catherine McMurry came into the picture.
Mary Catherine was serving as a caregiver for her husband with Parkinson’s disease and his sister with dementia.
Given the stress she was under, she realized that she needed a companion in life.
Fortunately, she came across Chusa. She learned that the pup had been accompanying her previous owner to work every day and was quite used to being around people.
After learning this, Mary Catherine knew right there and then that Chusa was the one.
She was small enough for her to take care of and was calm enough to be around people when she visited her husband and his sister in the nursing home.
“She fit the bill perfectly for me,” Mary Catherine said.
She then adopted Chusa and brought her home. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as smoothly as she hoped initially.
Adjusting to New Life
Being part Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chusa suffered from a heart condition like other dogs of her breed.
“Her heart is much larger than a normal dog of her size would be,” Mary Katherine shared.
The vets had to put her on medication for some time until her blood pressure went down, and her heart issue was solved.
Chusa had been such a trooper through it all. She is a resilient girl and had been through a lot.
Because of her past, Chusa was worried she may end up on her own again and knew she needed to be strong.
But, Mary Catherine seemed different, and Chusa was willing to give her a chance.
Turn that Frown Upside Down
When Chusa finally recovered, Mary Catherine started focusing on her next goal: making Chusa smile.
You see, the pup was “the most serious dog” she had ever seen, and she just wanted to put a smile on her face.
By This time, Chusa had another adopted sibling, Louie. But, Louie was also a fairly serious boy.
Luckily, Mary Catherine had the help of her friend’s Yorkie named Tessa.
Tessa’s owner had to undergo surgery, so the pup ended up boarding at Mary Catherine’s.
This led to the forming of Tessa and Chusa’s adorable friendship, and before long, the Spaniel started smiling all the time.
The pup also grew closer to Mary Catherine over time, eating anything she eats and cuddling up with her any chance she got.
Happily Ever After
It was clear that Tessa had helped Chusa open up enough to finally feel like she was home, home at last, and she’d never have to leave.
Chusa began following her fur mom everywhere and is content with sleeping near her while she works.
“She’s the best, and I can’t count my blessings enough for having her in my life. She saved my life as much as I saved hers,” Mary Katherine shared.
Now, Chusa gets to spend her days cuddling her human and hanging out with her best dog friends, Louie, Bo, and Wishbone.
Although Chusa started life getting passed on from one home to the next, she never has to worry about it now that she’s with her forever fur mom.
Follow OBRA on instagram to see more dogs like Chusa in need of a forever home