She stood alone in a dusty desert town outside Los Angeles — trembling, confused and coated in a layer of toxic green paint. The little pit bull, later named Clover, didn’t know who would help her… only that she desperately needed someone to care.
A passerby spotted the scared, olive-colored dog and immediately knew something was terribly wrong. Within hours, Clover was safely in the hands of the team at North Valley Veterinary Center.
Her skin told the story of what she’d endured — painful burns caused by the harsh chemical paint. Vets acted quickly.
“[They] gave her two medicated baths and were able to remove most of the paint,” Love Leo Rescue shared at the time. “She’s getting lots of love, being spoiled and pampered.”
Bit by bit, the green faded away. Underneath emerged her soft gray coat, and with it, glimpses of the gentle soul she’d been hiding.
After two weeks of treatment, Clover’s skin was healing, but her heart still needed time. She moved into the home of Love Leo Rescue’s director, Sasha Abelson — someone determined to help her feel safe again.
“When she arrived at my house as my new foster dog, she was sweet but completely shut down,” Abelson told The Dodo. “I knew it was going to take a long time for her to trust again.”
Abelson also knew Clover needed adopters who were patient and deeply empathetic. Eventually, she found exactly that — a kind couple eager to meet the shy little dog.
Together, they attended training sessions, slowly helping Clover rebuild confidence and understand that hands could be gentle.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks into months. And soon it was obvious: Clover had found her people.
“These two good humans were the perfect match,” Abelson said. “They gave her the time and space she needed to heal from her trauma. Seeing her so loved now truly warms my heart.”
Today, Clover explores the world with the family who never gave up on her — living a life free from fear, pain and the green paint that once hid her beauty.
To help more dogs like Clover, consider donating to Love Leo Rescue.
