A shelter dog who overcame seemingly insurmountable odds to not only survive but thrive is facing one final challenge: find a forever home.

Cola is a very special dog. By the time she arrived into the care of Twenty Paws Rescue, a rescue and rehabilitation facility operating in the New York City tristate, she'd already been through so much.

"Something happened to her, we don't exactly know what. However, it left her so devastatingly injured, she lost her two back legs," Rachel, co-founder of Twenty Paws Rescue (TPR), told Newsweek.

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Cola was originally rescued from the streets of India in 2020 at the height of the pandemic by Kannan Animal Welfare alongside her brother Floofy.

With her prospects of being adopted there almost non-existent, in March 2023, she made the epic journey over to the U.S. and TPR in search of a better life and someone to provide the love and care she so desperately deserved.

That journey began with a stint with a foster carer. It was a big change. "When Cola arrived at TPR she was very shy and fearful. Understandably, the transition from shelter life in India to a foster home abroad would be a tremendous adjustment for any dog," Rachel said.

However, the special focus a foster carer provides was crucial. Studies have shown time and time again how a little attention can go a long way for a shelter dog.

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A 2018 study in the journal Applied Animal Behavior Science found that just 15 minutes of one-on-one petting was enough to boost the overall well-being of a shelter animal.

Living with a foster carer essentially represents an extension of that idea and, in the case of Cola, the impact was very much a positive one. Rachel said: "Eventually, Cola began to emerge from her shell, and she was ready to meet the rest of the pack in her foster home."

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Now Cola is a million miles from the nervous dog that first arrived with her foster carer. "She plays in the yard and snuggles at night," Rachel said. "Learning to trust new people was a huge challenge for Cola to start. Now, she quickly warms up to new faces and her shining personality beams through."

Above all else, Cola is as strong and resilient a dog as Rachel or anyone else at TPR or anyone else has encountered. Having lost her hind legs as a puppy, Cola's body has grown and adjusted accordingly.

"She truly has no limitations," Rachel said. "She can run around, use the stairs, you name it. Frolicking in the snow is her favorite! She loves to catch snowflakes with her nose. Truly, Cola is a strong little girl who embodies resilience and adaptability."

After overcoming so many obstacles in her life, just one thing remains for Cola: find what Rachel describes as that "miracle forever home."

"Her ideal home would be patient and loving," she said. "Cola is slow to warm up to new people. However, once comfortable, she is sweet, affectionate, loyal, and loving. She loves to play and enjoys the outdoors."

Cola is best suited to an only pet home. "She is a unique girl from an even more unique past," Rachel added. "She will flourish best with a family that is understanding of her past and would help her live life with utmost freedom, spirit, and love."

Everyone at TPR is rooting for Cola to get adopted and they aren't the only ones. After hearing about Cola, pet food company Royal Canin reached out to TPR to give one year's worth of Royal Canin dog food to whoever adopts her.

Don MacIntosh, vice president, Royal Canin Professional Division, told Newsweek: "When we heard Cola's story, we immediately wanted to get involved and are so honored to help Twenty Paws Rescue find Cola a forever home and provide her with the nutrition she deserves too."

Cola is ready and waiting to meet that special someone now.