Wandering down a suburban street in Iowa, a sweet brown and white dog tried summoning the energy to take another step. With no one looking out for her, the pup had grown skinny and weak. She eventually collapsed under a bush, too tired to go any further.

Luckily, a young man named Marshall Neuzil soon noticed the dog peeking out from under the leaves. Neuzil knew what he had to do. He called his dad, Jeremy, a volunteer at It Takes A Village, an animal rescue and resource group, and asked for help.

“When he called his dad … and told him about the emaciated dog who had made her way to their yard, this family jumped into action to help this poor pup,” It Takes A Village wrote in a Facebook post.

The Neuzils rushed the dog to the shelter, where staff members assessed her and took her to Muscatine Veterinary Hospital for emergency care.

Shelter staff decided that Marshall, who first saw the pup, should name her.

“Marshall thought Luna was a good name for this sweet girl, so Luna is what we shall call her,” It Takes A Village wrote in a post at the time.

Once released from the hospital, Luna moved between various foster homes as rescuers coordinated the best fits for her needs. Eventually, Luna settled in with an experienced foster team, who helped her learn to be a good girl.

“She had to be trained to restrain herself and exhibit self-control,” It Take A Village wrote.

As time ticked by, Luna’s patient foster parents never gave up.

“After weeks, then months, of hard work and dedication, Luna has proven herself to be an absolutely wonderful companion!” It Takes A Village wrote.