The first time Lucy's picture appeared in the Post-Gazette, her hair was a sold mass of matts and knots. The snarled hair on her front legs and chest had been clipped down to her skin, which is about the only option a groomer has in those circumstances.

The miniature poodle was one of 30 dogs rescued last month from a small trailer in Greene County. There was no heat or electricity. Some dogs had wounds from fighting with each other, and some had died, according to the Feb. 18 story in the PG.

In a photograph, the dog had her paw on the arm of a stranger who was working hard to make her look and feel better. The miniature poodle stood calmly and gazed, with apparent trust, into the eyes of Kimberly Simon, a professional groomer who volunteers at the Animal Friends shelter in Ohio Township.

A week after the rescue, the Palchowski family of Crafton adopted the dog. Pam Palchowski e-mailed a photo of the dog to Anya Sostek, the reporter who wrote the story. Mrs. Palchowski thought people would like to see "that there are happy endings to a tragic story."

In that picture, the former scruffball actually looks like a miniature poodle. The groomer had detangled and salvaged the apricot-colored hair on the head and ears. The poodle the family named Lucy is wearing a pink jacket over her nearly naked body to help her stay warm.

Lucy, who weighs 9 pounds, is sitting on the lap of Angela Palchowski, 15. Next to them is 80-pound Biscuit, the family's Chow Chow-shepherd mix.

The family had not read about the trailer dogs. Angela just wanted to adopt "a little dog that she could cuddle with. She wanted a dog that could sit on her lap," Mrs. Palchowski said.

Angela and her mother went to Animal Friends on Feb. 20 to meet two dogs they saw on www.thinkingoutsidethecage.org, the shelter's Web site. They were disappointed when adoption counselor Jennifer Gottlieb said neither dog was "right" for their family.

"She said the rat terrier-Chihuahua mix was high-strung. The Shi Tzu was from a commercial breeder and did not have any experience at cuddling. She said more dogs would come in next week. But then she said there was one small dog that might be ready to go to a new home," Mrs. Palchowski said.

The adoption counselor brought out Taquitos, who seemed scared at first but soon snuggled happily in Angela's lap. Angela gave her a new name -- Lucy. But they weren't home free, yet.

"Jennifer said all members of our family would have to come into the shelter" for a meet and greet. "Meanwhile, Dad had no clue that we were even looking for a second dog," Mrs. Palchowski said.

Back home in Crafton, Angela made and posted a sign: "We Love Lucy!" Her father, Steve, agreed to go to the shelter the next day with the entire family, including Biscuit.

At first the little dog was afraid of the big dog, "but Biscuit won her over," Mrs. Palchowski said. "Jennifer dropped the leash, and Lucy jumped right into Steve's arms."

The adoption was approved, and Lucy went home with her new family on Feb. 21.

"Angela, Lucy and Biscuit are all becoming best friends forever. Lucy is adjusting well and is a wonderful addition to our family," Mrs. Palchowski said.

Shelter workers think Lucy is 9 or 10 years old, which is about the same age as Biscuit.

"Biscuit spent her first two years in a basement," Mrs. Palchowski said. "She never went outside" and had very little contact with people and weighed only 36 pounds.

"A friend of my mother rescued her and kept her until Christmas Eve. I got her for Christmas when I was 7," Angela said.

It took months for Biscuit to reach 44 pounds and learn how to trust people, "but she is the best dog," Angela said. "We took her to dog school, and she always listens, and she knows lots of tricks."

The 30 trailer dogs were rescued by the Humane Society of Greene County. Animal Friends took 12 of them to help out the overcrowded rural shelter.

Go to www.greenepet.org or call 724-627-9988 to help dogs in that shelter.

Animal Friends has found new homes for 10 of the trailer dogs. Little canines named Guacamole and Bean Dip need some veterinary care before they can be adopted.

Guacamole, 2, is a cream and gray terrier mix who looks like the Benji dog in movies. The dog needs surgery because of re-occurring ear infections that had not been treated.

Bean Dip, 2, a long-haired Chihuahua mix, has bladderstones. The dog is on a special diet that is hoped will clear up that condition.