When Alva first found a home, her shelter friends at Austin Pets Alive! were thrilled because they thought she found her happily-ever-after.

Alva has a neurological condition called cerebellar hypoplasia. This condition affects the part of the brain responsible for movement, causing mobility issues.

Once she was at her forever home, Alva didn’t go outside enough. Since she wasn’t exposed to new people and situations, her behavior began changing. The pup got scared and defensive, trying to bite the new people who visited her family.

That’s why Alva’s family surrendered her to the shelter once again. The shelter staff was deeply saddened and feared that the dog would have a hard time finding a forever home.

Alva Kept Getting Overlooked

Alva couldn’t understand why she suddenly found herself at the shelter. She wondered where her parents were and why they were not coming for her.

The shelter staff started working with Alva and training her. They showered her with a lot of love and hoped that someone would give her a chance.

Although Alva made a lot of progress with her mobility and behavior, she kept getting overlooked by possible pet parents. They weren’t willing to hang out with her and get to know her.

After spending 500 days at the shelter, Alva stopped believing that she would ever find a forever family.

Falling In Love With Alva And Her Fighting Spirit

Everything changed when Joe Rotunda came across Alva’s story while scrolling on Instagram. The moment he saw her photo and her videos, he fell in love.

“She shined. She had this almost tangible will. I saw all these videos of Alva running, playing, and falling down. And every time she fell, she pulled herself back up. Every time a challenge presented itself, she did not go around it; she went over it. And I was very inspired,” Rotunda told PEOPLE.

He immediately headed to the shelter in Austin, Texas. Alva’s shelter friends told him about Alva’s health condition and her anxiety. He didn’t mind and he couldn’t wait to meet her.