Meet Stella Bella a 3-year-old, 60 lb Yellow Lab whose name perfectly matches her soul-bright, beautiful, and full of light, despite a shadow-filled past. For too long, Stella's world was the size of a small outdoor kennel. She spent her days watching the world go by through wire mesh, with nothing but neglected bowls and a view of a neighborhood she was never allowed to explore. But even in those lonely months, her spirit didn't break. A kind neighbor noticed her every morning and evening, eventually advocating for her freedom. What started as simple walks to teach her the magic of a leash turned into a rescue mission of the heart so they brought her into their home, got her spayed, and showed her what it felt like to be part of a family. Stella Bella has proven to be incredibly adaptable and forgiving. Despite her rough start, she has blossomed into a social butterfly. She currently shares her home happily with another dog and two cats. Her favorite place in the world is the dog park! She loves the chance to run, play, and make new friends. She is pretty much house-trained, though she still needs a regular schedule to be successful if left for long periods. She has the classic Lab loyalty and is affectionate and ready to give all the love she was once denied. Because Stella spent so much of her early life alone, she truly treasures human company. She experiences some separation anxiety and is quite scared of thunderstorms, preferring to find a cozy spot to hide until the clouds clear. The ideal home for Stella would be one where her humans work from home or are around often to give her the reassurance she deserves and ideally one with another furry friend to play with! She is looking for a family who understands that her past makes her crave connection and who will be there to hold her paw through the rainy days. Stella is moving forward with a clean slate! She will come fully caught up on all vaccinations, spayed and microchipped before heading to her forever home. While she did recently test positive for heartworms, don't let that deter you-she has already started her treatment! With a little bit of "chill time" and some extra TLC during her recovery, she will be back to her vibrant, healthy self in no time. Due to an unexpected international move, Stella Bella is looking for a permanent place to land. She has traveled a long road from that lonely outdoor kennel to the cozy life she knows now, and she is looking for a family who will promise her that she'll never be left behind again. Are you the one to give Stella Bella the "Happily Ever After" she deserves? PLEASE READ BELOW: If you are interested in meeting and/or adopting, the first step is to complete an application and read all of our FAQs: https://www.takepawsrescue.org/adopt Please note: Information to determine if you might be a match for one of our animals can only be found on our application. *An inquiry, questions or introduction through Petfinder is NOT an application* All known details about our animals are posted on their profile and updated daily. Other info will be discussed in detail with the foster during the application review process. Due to the high volume of introductions/questions received we ask you to submit an application (that application can be used for any dog with Take Paws Rescue). The adoption fee for adult dogs covers age appropriate vaccinations, microchip, spay/neuter if not yet performed, heartworm test & appropriate heartworm treatment by the rescue's vet. All dogs in our care are also kept up-to-date on HW/Flea Prevention. For more on this, or for additional information, including the adoption process and our adoption fee scale for all our adoptable pets (including an explanation about Benefactor Dogs), please see our FAQs page: https://www.takepawsrescue.org/faq Any breed labels used by Take Paws Rescue, its employees/volunteers, or on vet records provided cannot be guaranteed. Breed labels are given based on information obtained during intake and/or best guesses based on appearance and/or temperament of the dogs and Take Paws Rescue gives no assurance to the accuracy of these labels. Labels are necessary for postings to many animal networking sites, such as our website, Chewy, Pet Finder, and others. These are in no way a guarantee. Additionally, exact age and potential size cannot be guaranteed. ***Take Paws Rescue saves dogs from high-kill shelters across the South, owner surrenders, and discarded dogs with uncertain futures. All of our animals live in foster homes where they are socialized, and well cared for. An application will be required to make sure it's the perfect match!