From Abandoned on a Rooftop to Hiking Upstate: Ludo’s Journey to a Better Life

On May 4, 2025, Greta H. received an email from her state representative about an upcoming ASPCA adoption event in Washington Square Park.

“My husband happened to be working nearby that day, so I said, ‘Let’s check it out!’” Greta recalled. “We realized immediately that we wanted to adopt but left a little dejected because we hadn’t found the right one.”

The couple sat in the park after the event and decided to scroll through the ASPCA website to see if their perfect match was still out there. That’s when they spotted Ludo.

“Her listing said, ‘We don’t know much about this dog yet,’ but the moment we saw Ludo we knew she was the one,” said Greta.

Little did Greta and her husband Shan know, 3-year-old Ludo had already experienced more cruelty in her short life than any dog ever should.

Abandoned and Alone

In early April 2025, the NYPD received a 911 call about a dog found abandoned on a rooftop. Ludo was inside a crate that was chained and padlocked to an air conditioning unit and had reportedly been there for several days.

Ludo upon intake.

The NYPD was able to get Ludo out of the crate and brought her to BluePearl Pet Hospital, an emergency veterinary hospital and ASPCA partner, for treatment. The following day, Ludo was transferred to the ASPCA Adoption Center where we continued her care and provided her with updated vaccines.

Thankfully, despite what she’d been through, Ludo was in good health. Within about two weeks in our care, our foster team was able to place her in a foster home where they could  learn more about her personality in a calmer environment.

Ludo thrived in her foster home, so our staff decided it was time to find her an adoptive home and posted her profile online. Soon enough, Greta and Shan were on their way to the Adoption Center to meet her.

Showing Affection

When meeting her new pet parents, Ludo covered them in a “full on saliva bath.”

“She was so affectionate, she ran straight into our arms and completely melted our hearts,” remembered Greta, who brought Ludo home that same day. 

Ludo and Greta on adoption day.

Ludo’s affection didn’t end there. She was immediately comfortable in her new home and continues to show her immense amount of affection to this day.

“When we met her, she already knew ‘sit’ and ‘paw’ and was housebroken,” said Greta. “When we taught her ‘down’ and ‘roll over,’ she learned both instantly and now automatically rolls onto her back for belly rubs. She tries to mesmerize every new person she meets with love, then flips over to see if it worked.”

The couple have noticed that Ludo is also very attuned to human emotions, getting visibly upset if she hears yelling. Even a high five can startle her.

“It’s actually made us calmer in return,” explained Greta. “She literally lowers our blood pressure. It’s hard to be angry in her presence. She’s pure joy to be around and loves meeting everyone — strangers, friends, family — so we get to include her in almost everything we do.”

She’s also protective of her family, acting as their guard dog when needed.

“She chased away a black bear from our trailer upstate!” Greta laughed. “Lately though, she’s mellowed out and doesn’t bark much anymore.”

Changing Lives in the Best Possible Way

It’s not just Ludo’s affection that has captured her parents’ hearts; it’s also her energy and athleticism.

“She’s the best personal trainer we’ve ever had!” joked Greta. “She’s incredibly athletic, bounds up our sixth-floor walk-up more easily that we do and can run for miles. We’ve already logged seven mile runs across bridges and all around Manhattan. We’ve become so much more active. We’re outdoors every day, exploring parks in our neighborhood we’d never paid much attention to.”

Their most favorite activity, however, was teaching Ludo to swim. She was a total natural and loves jumping into lakes and exploring!

Though, with all the outdoor adventure, Greta and Shan have run into their one and only challenge since adopting Ludo — ticks. The family went for a hike upstate and were unprepared for how many ticks a fluffy black dog would attract, even with all her shots and repellents.

“We spent the next 24 hours pulling off more than 20 ticks from her and us,” Greta told us. “We’ve had to learn to balance her freedom in the woods with that reality.

As first-time pet parents, Greta and Shan are head over heels with their decision to adopt.

“We don’t pretend to be experts, but we feel like we won the dog lotto,” said Greta. “We’ll be dog-lovers and dog-parents for life now. She’s improved my work life balance. Nothing clears your head like getting out and walking the dog. She gets me to take the breaks I need. If you’re thinking of adopting for the first time, just know it can truly change your life in the best possible way.”