She was alone, weak, and crawling with thousands of ticks. A tiny Boxer puppy, barely clinging to life, collapsed in a stranger’s driveway in Fresno, California — too exhausted to keep searching for help.

Luckily, that driveway belonged to Isaac, a kind-hearted man who spotted the puppy and knew she needed immediate care. As he got closer, he saw just how severe her condition was.

Her little body was completely infested with ticks, draining her of blood and energy. Isaac scooped her up and kept her safe while calling for help — and help came fast.

When Izabella St. James, founder of The Pug Queen rescue, saw the puppy’s story online, she didn’t hesitate for a second — even though her specialty is pugs. “She stole my heart immediately,” Izabella shared. “I’ve never seen a dog with this many ticks. I knew I had to help.”

She quickly offered to cover all medical costs and urged rescuers to get the puppy emergency treatment. Amy from The House of Muddy Paws, a local rescue, stepped in and rushed the puppy to the vet.

There, a grueling process began: hours of carefully removing the parasites one by one. But the puppy was dangerously anemic — she had already lost too much blood — and they had to pause the procedure to avoid further harm.

“She has anemia, so we have to be careful,” the rescue wrote. “The ticks will continue to die and fall off through the night.”

Izabella covered the $438 vet bill without hesitation and arranged transport for the puppy to Los Angeles, where Wayne — one of The Pug Queen’s trusted foster dads — welcomed her with open arms. Finally, the little dog had a soft bed, gentle hands, and the safety she so desperately needed.

They named her Precious Betty, and her transformation began.

As Betty regained strength, Izabella kept a close eye on her progress, planning additional medical tests to ensure she had no lingering infections before placing her in a permanent foster home. But as fate would have it, Betty’s next stop wasn’t temporary at all.

Katie, a long-time supporter of The Pug Queen and proud adopter of a pug named Betty Spaghetti, met the Boxer pup on her first day in foster care — and instantly knew: she was staying.

“Talk about a foster fail,” Izabella laughed.

Katie and her family quickly fell in love and gave Betty the fresh start she deserved — including a new name: Bean.

Today, Bean is thriving in her forever home, surrounded by love, laughter, and the warmth of a family that adores her. From a driveway in Fresno to the heart of a family, her journey is nothing short of miraculous.

“She is a very lucky Bean indeed,” Izabella said with a smile.

Katie, who also happens to be the founder and CEO of Unique-Vintage.com, has long supported The Pug Queen‘s mission, even donating pug sweaters for fundraisers.

Izabella made sure to highlight the importance of community and compassion: “I love when pug ladies support each other — and support dogs who need us.”

Bean’s story is a shining reminder of what happens when people step up — even when it’s not their “usual” dog, even when it’s inconvenient, even when the odds seem overwhelming.

Because love, after all, doesn’t care about breed. It just shows up.