Strawberry, aka the "unicorn" dog, has settled into a loving home after the 2-year-old pit bull moved from shelter to shelter and was nearly euthanized due to a bump on her head.
"Her skin was bright pink from infection, covered in mange and she had 2 large lumps on her head," the La Belle Foundation, a Los Angeles-based animal rescue organization who rescued Strawberry from euthanasia, said in an Instagram post in April 2022.
Kristen Kuhlman, a mom in South Pasadena, California, told TODAY.com she knew she needed to adopt Strawberry after she kept seeing updates about her online.
"I just kept seeing her picture pop up on the foundation's Instagram page and she was still available ... She just had such gentle eyes and, you know, I had never seen a dog like her ever before," Kuhlman said. "She's very unique and recognizable and one in a million, one of a kind."
Kuhlman continued, "I have always joked that I like the dogs that are missing an eye or like only have three legs. Those are the kind of dogs that I like to adopt. So something about Strawberry just felt like she would be a good fit for our family."
Kuhlman has a husband and is a mom to twins. When Kuhlman brought Strawberry home in September 2022, she said the dog had a "tough" time adapting to her new surroundings.
"Strawberry's been through a lot in her life," she said.
At first, Strawberry was nervous and "didn't know what was happening" because she had moved around so much. Kuhlman said she also noticed that Strawberry would "kind of cry" at night.
"We all thought, 'Oh no, what have we gotten ourselves into,'" she said. "But, boy, she came out of her shell within a couple of weeks and she became the most affectionate dog. My family loves her."
Kuhlman said her kids love to play with Strawberry and that she loves a good game of fetch, and her husband likes to take naps and snuggle with Strawberry on the couch.
"She fits right into our family," she said. "It's been great."
As for why they decided to keep Strawberry's name instead of changing it: Kuhlman said she thought the moniker fit Strawberry's personality because she's a "really sweet girl."