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Humane Animal Rescue Wins $5K For Chihuahua's Weight Loss Story

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GREENFIELD (KDKA) -- A dog's tremendous weight loss story is translating to dollar signs.

Lu-Seal seems nothing but happy at her home in Greenfield, following every command from her owner, Julia Morely.

But it was a different story last year when she weighed 16 pounds.

"She certainly was in pretty bad shape," said Morely. "She couldn't really walk. She couldn't really move very well."

She weighed double what a healthy Chihuahua should.

"She was found as a stray in the streets of Pittsburgh brought in by a good Samaritan," said Morely.

At the Humane Animal Rescue, something about Lu-Seal caught Morely's attention.

"She just had this like grin," said Morely. "She just looked at you from this kennel."

She adopted her that day and put her on a strict diet of 250 calories a day and an exercise routine.

"At first we went down the block and back and that was a struggle, and now we're going about a mile a day," said Morely.

Lu-Seal's weight kept dropping, and she now weighs half of what she did.

Morely entered Lu-Seal's story in a contest from Petco and won $5,000 for the Humane Animal Rescue.

MORE: Chihuahua's Health Struggle Uplifts A Doctor In Need Of Inspiration

Lu-Seal even has an Instagram account!

But there's more to this story because just as Morely came along at the right time for Lu-Seal, you might say Lu-Seal came along at the right time for Morely.

She's a doctor and was in a difficult year in her residency when she found Lu-Seal.

"Oh yeah, I was really lonely," said Morely. "I just recently had ended a relationship, and I was looking for something, companionship I guess. And she really helped me."

Cartlidge around Lu-Seal's trachea apparently collapsed when she weighed so much, so she doesn't really a bark. It's actually more of a quack.

The Humane Animal Rescue says it's thrilled with the prize because it allows them to help other animals.

And there's actually a bigger prize: They can win another $25,000 if people vote for Lu-Seal's story through Dec. 20.

You can vote for Lu-Seal's story here: facebook.com/PETCOfoundation

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