India, Nov. 29 -- Piper, a senior Cane Corso-mix, was rescued earlier this year after being found wandering on the streets of Englewood, New Jersey, vomiting and clearly malnourished, Newsweek reported.

Shelter veterinarians discovered staples in her stomach and calluses covering her body, meaning she had likely spent years living rough on concrete and scavenging through trash.

Despite her traumatic past, shelter staff described Piper as "relaxed, tolerant, easy to please, outgoing," with a soft temperament and a love for food, and even likes to share."

But for months, adopters who favored younger or smaller dogs ignored her, leaving her to languish in the kennel.

That changed when Ingrid Santucci, a manager at a local hospital, came ...