Dog Finally Up For Adoption After Court Case Against Abuser Ends

SCITUATE (CBS) -- After living in limbo for months, a dog that was terribly abused is finally free for adoption. They call her Princess Fiona now, a royal name filled with optimism for the future, and this young dog is looking for a special home.

First, Fiona had to heal from the abuse. Then she had to wait for a court case against her abuser to end.

"Princess Fiona's abuse was pretty severe. Her X-rays and medical records showed that she did have skull contusions and several bone fractures around her body," says Maryann Regan, the Executive Director of the Scituate Animal Shelter.

You wouldn't know that by looking at her today, but Fiona was abused for a long time. "It was definitely intentional. It wasn't accidental," Maryann says.

The one and a half-year-old is being cared for at the Scituate Shelter now after spending seven months in another facility. They couldn't put her up for adoption all that time because she was considered as "evidence" in the animal cruelty case.

But that's over. "Now she is finally available for adoption. She's a joy. She's so cute and adorable," Maryann says. "It's amazing to me how resilient she is after what she's been through."

What she's been through is severe trauma, so Fiona needs a special family.

"Because of her history of abuse, the people who adopt her should be somewhat patient because she does have some shyness at first."

And the ideal family would not have young children. "We would work with people interested in Princess Fiona to make sure it was the right match," Maryann says.

To learn more about Princess Fiona, reach the Scituate Animal Shelter by emailing them at info@scituateanimalshelter.org or calling them at 781-544-4533.