This past summer, team members from Main Line Animal Rescue (MLAR) were visiting an overcrowded shelter in their area when they noticed an especially nervous dog begging for their attention.

Her name was Jellybean. It turns out, she needed help — and fast.

“When I saw Jellybean in her kennel at ACCT, she immediately jumped up, almost pleading for someone to notice her,” a representative from MLAR told The Dodo. “When we found out she was timestamped for euthanasia due to space, we knew we had to save her. Her story was far from over.”

MLAR staff quickly pulled Jellybean from the shelter and brought her back to their rescue facility. Safe with her new friends, Jellybean began coming out of her shell.

“Jelly is a total lovebug!” the representative said. “She could not be sweeter. She will lean right into you for all the love in the world.”

Today, Jellybean is searching for a permanent family, and she’s open to so many options.

“Jelly does great with everyone she meets!” the representative said. “She would love an active family to include her on all the fun and adventures life has to offer! She is also wonderful with other dogs, so would be a great option for a family looking for a friend for their current pup!”

Rescuers know that Jellybean will soon be someone’s perfect pet, they just need to find the right person.

“Whenever you save a dog from euthanasia, knowing how close they came to not making it, you always hope that they get to experience everything good this life has to offer,” the representative said. “Our greatest hope for Jellybean is that she finds a home who loves her, cherishes her, and realizes how lucky they are to find such a faithful friend!”

The other day, volunteer dog rescuer Mary Nakiso was driving through California’s Orange County when she passed someone cowering on the side of the street. The creature was large, hairy and alone. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Nakiso slammed on her brakes to investigate.

As she approached the animal, Nakiso realized just how massive and afraid he was.

“He is literally 75 pounds and so big but so scared,” Suzette Hall, founder of Logan’s Legacy 29, wrote on Facebook.

The giant dog was petrified, which Nakiso soon learned was the result of being “thrown out” by his family a few minutes earlier.

“When he first got thrown out, he was so confused [and] running in circles in traffic,” Hall wrote. “A huge jeep with huge tires literally went over him …”

The pup, later named Benji, had no idea where his family had gone. He roamed the busy streets frantically, hoping to find his way home. After a while of running around in circles and dodging cars, Benji eventually disappeared.

Nakiso called Hall to notify her about Benji, and the two started monitoring local social media groups for any sightings of him. Later that day, someone posted about seeing a giant matted dog in their neighborhood.

Hall couldn’t make it back to the neighborhood fast enough due to traffic, so she messaged three more of her trusted friends who lived nearby.

The group of volunteers immediately agreed to help.

“I sent a message to Nuñez Aky, Yamileth and Karla,” Hall wrote. “When they got there, he was running back and forth so fast. So they waited for him to settle down.”

Hall stayed glued to her phone for updates while the team of volunteer rescuers hatched a plan to corner the flighty dog once and for all.

Then, she finally received the news she’d been hoping to hear all day.

“[B]ecause they are so amazing, they got him into a yard and shut the gate,” Hall wrote. “My heart was so happy. The fear and terror he had been through was over, and this big hunk of pure love was finally safe.”

The rescuers showered Benji with love and praise before carrying him to their car. They drove him straight to Camino Pet Hospital, where the shaggy pup received a long-overdue makeover.

“All the layers of his past [have] been shaved away,” Hall wrote in a Facebook update. “He literally had dreadlocks.”

Benji’s makeover was just the first of many steps to get him the home of his dreams. He’s since been neutered, and after a few more days of healing, he’ll finally be able to meet his new foster family next week.

It’s hard to know what Benji’s life was like before he was rescued, but his future is certain thanks to Hall and her team of volunteers. As Hall sees it, Benji will soon receive all the love and attention he’s always deserved.

“Benji is the sweetest, most loving dog I have ever met,” Hall told The Dodo. “[He’s] truly a miracle.”