Abused Dog Adopted After Video Broke Owner’s Heart

The footage helped Cara the dog find a new home.

ByABC News
February 3, 2016, 12:06 PM

— -- A sad video of a dog in an Ireland shelter has led to her adoption.

"I saw the original video and we just had to have her," Michael McGrath of Dublin told ABC News today. "I said, 'We can really give her a good life and make a difference.' She was very scared, but has really come on well. I think she was young enough to be able to block out what happened. She's afraid of other dogs outside, but she has the security of her home. She's a great little character and it just broke our hearts when we saw the video."

McGrath said he saw footage of Angel, a lurcher, a few months back after it was posted online by PAWS Animal Rescue Ireland.

The heart-wrenching video features a frightened Angel, now named Cara, huddled in the corner, terrified of her surroundings.

"She was picked up on the street," said Gina Hetherington, founder and CEO of PAWS Animal Rescue Ireland. "She sat in the corner and hid her head and she just wouldn’t move for anybody. Whatever trauma happened to her, [I thought] 'What did they do to her to make her like that?' Never had I seen a dog that was traumatized that much, mentally."

PHOTO: Michael McGrath of Dublin, Ireland adopted Cara after seeing the video on the PAWS Animal Rescue Ireland Facebook page.
Michael McGrath of Dublin, Ireland adopted Cara after seeing the video on the PAWS Animal Rescue Ireland Facebook page.

Hetherington said shelter staff posted the video on Facebook page.

The 1-year-old pup is the second dog for McGrath, who also adopted Jago from an animal rescue group.

Last month McGrath sent a video update to Hetherington of Cara and Jago happily "speaking" to one another in their new home.

"She's loving life," Hetherington said.