An adorable dog who was a part of a puppy mill, probably giving birth to multiple litters over the years, has been officially crowned the World's Cutest Rescue Dog.
The shy little adopted Maltese named Lamb Chop came out on top, winning votes and hearts in ‘People’s third annual World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Presented by the PEDIGREE® Brand.’ The contest which took almost two weeks of voting had little Lamb Chop triumphed over 10,000 other canine participants to win the top spot.
The prize of the winner includes a year’s supply of dog food from the PEDIGREE® Brand and $1,000 to donate to any animal rescue shelter of her choice. They also get to make an appearance on Good Morning America, giving them a chance to share her very moving tale.
Lamb Chop was adopted by Milwaukee resident Christin Schubert from an animal shelter based in Wisconsin in December 2014. Christin lost her beloved rescue cat Seven, she visited the animal shelter in hopes of finding another pet in need of a home.
“I hadn’t planned on getting a dog,” admitted Christin, but, lamb chop’s cute frame and built “struck her heart.”
“When she was rescued, local vets had to remove all of her teeth because they were rotten,” Christin told PEOPLE. The pooch was also treated for cauliflower ear and had several tumours removed, she added. Luckily for Christin, all the medical expenses were covered by the Washington County Humane Society before the adorable Maltese was fit to be sent to her new home.
Lamb Chop’s issues didn’t stop there, as the lovely dog suffered from emotional scars as well. Lamb Chop feared people and was unsure on how to interact with fellow dogs. But she’s adjusted well and worked with a trainer to overcome her trust issues.
Christin and Lamb Chop now work with a non-profit called Bailing Out Benji, which is dedicated to exposing illegal connections between pet stores and puppy mills. They also advocate people on the importance of adopting pets.