“When rescuers arrived, she didn’t care about food—she just wanted her monkey.”

In a heartbreaking moment at a park in Bakersfield, California, a sweet dog was pushed out of a car and left behind. As the car drove off, her former family tossed something else out the window—her favorite stuffed monkey.

Bystanders were stunned. They watched as the abandoned dog clung to the only thing she had left—her beloved toy.

“When the rescuers arrived, she didn’t care about food,” wrote Theron Marbury of South Coast Humane Society (SCHS) on Facebook. “She cared about her monkey. That’s why we named her Monkey.”

Monkey was taken to an overcrowded local shelter, where she didn’t stay long. SCHS quickly stepped in and rescued her along with another pup named Jasper. Through it all, Monkey kept her stuffed monkey close—it was her source of comfort in the chaos.

Despite everything she’d been through, Monkey arrived at SCHS in surprisingly good spirits. It was clear her bond with the stuffed toy gave her the strength to keep going.

“She was sweet and energetic from the moment she arrived and shared a kennel with Jasper,” said Jenifer Alcorn, executive director of SCHS, in an interview with The Dodo.

Monkey’s story tugged at the hearts of her rescuers. Photos of her and her stuffed monkey were shared on the SCHS Facebook page—and people instantly fell in love. Adoption requests came pouring in, but one family stood out.

“They really understood the breed and had the space for her to run and thrive,” Alcorn said. “They came to meet her… and instantly fell in love.”

Before finalizing the adoption, Alcorn gently asked if they’d consider meeting Jasper, too. They did—and ended up adopting both dogs.

Today, Monkey and Jasper are living their best lives, together in a loving forever home. Monkey’s journey was filled with hardship, but she held onto hope—and her monkey—until she found the happy ending she truly deserved.