A well-cared-for senior dog with pink-dyed fur was found roaming streets alone. Rescuers found a microchip — but it only led to more heartbreak
A senior dog with pink-dyed fur was found straying in a park in Arizona until rescuers brought her to an animal shelter. The pup’s well-groomed and pink fur suggested that she once belonged to a loving and comfortable home. The rescuers did everything in their power to reunite the lost dog named Luna with her family when they found a microchip on her. It raised their hopes of a heartwarming reunion, but it was probably too soon to say.
The Maricopa County Animal Care & Control found Luna as a stray near the White Tank Mountain Regional Park in Waddell in March, shelter staff member Kim Powell told Newsweek. With every passing day, the rescuers realized how well-trained Luna was. Her pink coat was eye-catching and indicated her former life. “Her pink hair looks to be professionally done. This is something groomers will do with pet-safe dye,” she said. The little details only raised the rescuers' hopes of finding Luna’s owner. When they scanned her microchip, the information allowed them to contact her owners.
“We reached out via calls, text, and letters. Even a groomer who recognized Luna reached out to us to give us the potential owner's contact info—but no luck." In a heartbreaking turn, the owners were unreachable, and Luna had to eventually be put up for adoption. They put her on a 5-day hold, as per their procedure, before advertising her to potential adopters. Meanwhile, the staff also left no stone unturned to contact her former owners. The rescuers could not understand the reason behind her abandonment, as Luna displayed intelligence and gentleness. “She is a very smart dog and clearly has been well-trained. She demonstrated sit, shake, down, and even sat politely at doors before they were opened for her,” Powell shared.
Moreover, the staff were impressed by how well Luna was adjusting to shelter life, even after living in a comfortable home for so long. Luna was 10 years old and soon became a popular fixture at the shelter, courtesy of her chic coat. "Staff loved her. She didn't show any signs of kennel stress,” Powell noted. To escalate her adoption process, the staff created and shared a video of Luna in her element to attract attention. Expectedly, her aura shone through, and Luna quickly went viral on the internet. "Luna was adopted on March 27 to someone who saw her viral video online," Powell confirmed. Interestingly, her adopter embraced her pink coat and even wore matching shoes to pick her up. Luna finally got the ending she deserved.
According to Cascade Kennels, hair dyeing is a popular grooming trend among dog owners to impart distinct appearances to pooches. Dogs with white fur are commonly dyed with the color pink to increase their visibility, and often as a style statement. It is mostly an effort to make them appear different from other dogs or to give them a more feral appearance.