The minute staff members at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue (Muttville) saw an image of an igloo-shaped doghouse in the middle of a desert, their hearts sank. They could see a pair of eyes peeking from around the igloo, and the next message they received confirmed their worst fears.

“[A dog] was abandoned in the desert with only her igloo doghouse,” Muttville wrote on Instagram. “The dog stayed in the area, faithfully waiting for her family to return. They never did.”

The Muttville staff quickly learned that a Good Samaritan had driven out to the desert to save her. And when the compassionate rescuer got there, the poor pup seemed more than ready to receive help.

“The dog willingly came along with the rescuer, with trust and hope,” Muttville wrote.

At first, the Good Samaritan took the dog to a local shelter. But once the shelter discovered how old she was, they realized that she might have trouble finding an adoptive home through them.

“[A]t 8 years old, her [chances] for adoption there were slim,” Muttville wrote. “They contacted Muttville so this senior could get a second chance.”

Thankfully, Muttville specializes in senior dogs, and they were more than happy to take her in while she looked for a home.

The pup was shy and quiet when she was first rescued. And as she got settled into her new foster home through Muttville, her naturally tranquil demeanor only blossomed.

“Calm and mellow, she moves through the world like a quiet little blessing, happy to curl up nearby and simply be with her people,” Muttville wrote on their website. “[She’s] an absolutely gorgeous shepherd-mix with the softest soul and the gentlest eyes.”

The sweet girl, later named Irises, was overjoyed to not be fending for herself in the desert anymore. And while her rescuers struggled to understand how anyone could’ve left her there, they were relieved to know she’d survived long enough to experience true love.

“She blossomed in foster care, getting the gentle support and thoughtful love she needed,” Muttville wrote.

The folks at Muttville promised to help Irises find an amazing forever home soon. And before long, her perfect match arrived.

“[A man was] looking for a large, calm and soft-hearted companion,” Muttville wrote. “Irises checked every box.”

The man instantly fell in love with Irises, and their bond only deepened after he took her home.

“She’s the most wonderful thing that’s happened to me,” Irises’ dad wrote to Muttville, later shared on Instagram.

You can see that moment here:

It’s been a few weeks since Irises went off to her forever home, and she’s thriving in her new life. Instead of spending her days all alone in the middle of the desert, Irises now enjoys constant snuggles with someone who truly loves her — and it’s better than she could’ve ever imagined.

The folks at Muttville are ecstatic to see Irises blossom in her new home and look forward to seeing more of their resident pups receive their own fairytale endings. But no matter how many pups they help in the future, they’ll never forget their sweet girl Irises and everything she overcame.

“Some dogs like Irises don’t need ‘fixing,’ they just need belonging,” Muttville wrote.