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On Friday, Dec. 20, the 41-year-old Nutley resident adopted Stella, the dog who had survived being struck by a car on Route 4 in Hackensack, from the Bergen County Animal Shelter in Teterboro.
“I just lost my dog in March—she was a half dachshund—and because of that, I felt like maybe Stella was being sent to me from her,” D’Angelo said with Stella in her lap on the floor of the shelter. “I feel like I have the love of my other dog back.”
Stella’s journey to D’Angelo’s home has been anything but easy. On Oct. 13, she was found on the busy highway, and rescuers believe she may have been discarded before she was struck. Stella was then taken to Oradell Animal Hospital, where she was treated for broken ribs and a fractured pelvis.
Little Stella’s story quickly spread on social media, garnering more than 1,400 shares and comments from animal lovers. It's how D'Angelo learned of Stella's tragic story herself.
When D’Angelo first heard about Stella through a Bergen County Facebook group, she felt compelled to meet her. A friend working at Oradell Animal Hospital warned her that there was significant interest in the dog. “I asked if I could take her,” D’Angelo said. “He told me there were so many people who wanted her.”
Still, D’Angelo persisted. She waited until Stella was transferred to the Bergen County Animal Shelter to submit her adoption application.
“I didn’t think I would get her,” she said. “I feel like I won the lottery. And I kind of did. Out of all those people, I won the prize.”
The adoption marks a fresh start for both Stella and D’Angelo, who sees her new dog as more than just a companion. “I feel like she was put in my life for a reason—to heal me and for me to heal her,” D’Angelo said, clutching the cross around her neck. “I hope she feels the same way I do.”
For Stella, the love and care are a welcome change after months of trauma.
Bob Bergamini of the Bergen County Animal Shelter described Stella as cranky and irritable when she first arrived.
“When a dog like this, who needed physical and medical attention, finds someone who has been through a lot herself, it’s a special thing,” Bergamini said, tears in his eyes.
D’Angelo says she plans to keep Stella’s name, inspired by A Streetcar Named Desire. “She’s home for Christmas,” D’Angelo said, adding that Stella has already filled a void left by Zoey. “I’m disgusted if anybody did this to her on purpose. But now she’s where she belongs.”
Stella will continue her recovery in her new home, surrounded by love and warmth this holiday season.
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