dog found in toronto park

Dog that broke hearts across the city after being found in a Toronto park has a new home

A beautiful red labrador retriever mix broke hearts across Toronto with her adorable puppy dog eyes after she was discovered wandering alone in High Park, but fortunately the lovable pup now has a new home. 

The five-year-old dog, who now goes by the name Mirabelle, was taken in by Toronto Animal Services staff after getting lost in High Park amid freezing temperatures more than a week ago, and her photo was shared widely on social media in hopes of either finding her previous owners or a new home.

Members of the public immediately stepped up, offering to either foster or adopt the adorable unnamed dog with the sad eyes, but one lucky resident was officially chosen by the City of Toronto Animal Services North Region to become Mirabelle's permanent pet parent.

"Update on the lost High Park dog (Mirabelle): she's been adopted," wrote Mayor John Tory when sharing the good news on Twitter Thursday. "Thank you @TOAnimalService for your hard work ensuring animals are safely sheltered until they find new homes."

Tory also shared photos of the animal with her new owner, and they show a happy, healthy, smiling dog that's surely come a long way since she captured the hearts of Toronto residents with her disheartened facial expression.

The mayor also encouraged residents of the city to consider adopting an animal from a shelter, though most local rescues have actually seen a major increase in demand for dogs since the pandemic forced everyone to start spending much more time at home. 

Still, anyone interested in adding a member to their family can check out the city's three animal shelters online to find any pets available for adoption.

And who knows, you just might end up getting to take a beauty like Mirabelle home with you for good.

Lead photo by

John Tory


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