This is Dutchess — a sweet shelter dog with a beautiful face and a big heart to match. When she was 4 years old, Dutchess was surrendered to Orange County Animal Services (OCAS), and she spent every day after that hoping the right person would stop by her kennel.

For over a month, Dutchess waited with her nose pressed against her kennel door for her new parents. Her tail wagged with excitement whenever she’d hear someone coming, but they always seemed to walk past her without so much as a glance.

Dutchess couldn’t understand why she was being passed over, but her friends at OCAS had a hunch. The dog was born with two pom-pom-sized cysts under her eyes, and, unfortunately, visitors were judging her based on her appearance.

“It doesn’t affect her in any way except one: People cannot seem to get past it,” OCAS wrote in a Facebook post. “The hard part is hearing the comments about her: ‘She looks so ugly.’ ‘What’s wrong with her? She’ll never get adopted.’”

Dutchess’ friends at OCAS knew that she was an awesome dog, and they were disappointed to see so many people dismiss her. All they wanted was for Dutchess to find the home she’d been waiting for.

“The heartbreaking part is that Dutchess absolutely adores everyone,” OCAS wrote. “She runs up to the kennel doors every day, excited for a new day, relentlessly optimistic.”

Luckily, someone from Rescue Dogs Dream, Inc. (RDD) came across OCAS’s post about Dutchess on Facebook, and they immediately jumped into action. Within 48 hours, Dutchess was picked up from OCAS and on her way to a loving foster home.

“This sweet girl got her freedom right out of Orange County Animal Services and into a loving foster home yesterday,” RDD wrote in a Facebook post. “She is doing great and is happy to be free.”

Dutchess settled into her new foster home right away. As she cuddled up with her foster mom on her first night home, she had no idea that adoption applications and inquiries were already pouring in. Before long, RDD found the perfect family for her, and Dutchess was officially pre-adopted.

“They recently lost one of their fur babies and had been looking for the right fit,” RDD wrote on Facebook a few days later. “They knew instantly [that] Duchess was the one for them.”

Before going to her forever home, Dutchess met a new veterinarian who had concerns about the cysts under her eyes. He could tell that they were in her line of sight, and, because she wouldn’t let anyone touch them, he worried they were making her uncomfortable.

“Although not dangerous, they still [need] to be removed …” RDD wrote in another post on Facebook.

A week later, Dutchess’ cysts were successfully removed. The pup went straight to her foster home to recover after surgery, and, a few hours after, her forever family picked her up.

Dutchess, later renamed Lena, was elated to finally have the family of her dreams. Even though she still needed some time to recover, her new parents and dog brother made her feel completely loved from the first moment she met them.

It wasn’t long before Lena was fully recovered and ready to go on adventures with her family. Now, Lena’s enjoying her best life with her favorite people by her side. The loyal pup has fallen head over heels for her new family, and the feeling is totally mutual.

“She’s so sweet [and] just loves to play and be around us all the time,” Lena’s parents told RDD, which they shared later on in a Facebook update. “She is a wonderful girl, and we love her so much!”

It’s been a few months since Lena’s friends at RDD have seen her in person, but the happiness they feel from seeing her dreams come true still hasn’t worn off.

“We’re so happy for our special girl,” RDD wrote. “She will be loved and cherished for the beautiful pup that she is for the rest of her life!”