A dog rescued from dire conditions in New Jersey has earned national recognition after a dramatic grooming transformation. Found abandoned in a cat carrier on a freezing night in February 2025, the dog, initially unidentifiable due to extreme matting and dirt on her coat, was revealed to be a small six-pound Havanese after a three-hour grooming session. The dog, named Lucy, was underweight, shivering, and barely able to move when animal control officers discovered her near a parking lot entrance.

Lucy’s transformation was led by shelter manager Kimberly Callea of the Easel Animal Rescue League and professional groomer Yahaira Sosa, both based in Ewing Township, New Jersey. Sosa carefully shaved away the thick, matted fur, which had obscured the dog’s features and made medical care difficult, with a veterinarian needing to remove some fur to administer injections. The grooming process included multiple baths and a cautious approach, as Lucy was initially fearful of the clippers.

Lucy’s makeover secured her first place in the Wahl Dirty Dogs Contest, a national competition that highlights shelter dogs’ transformations and awards grants to their groomers and shelters. The event, sponsored by grooming product company Wahl and nonprofit Greater Good Charities, drew 129 canine contestants this year. The top prize includes $5,000 for both the shelter and the groomer.

Callea, who fostered Lucy and officially adopted her two months after rescue, expressed amazement at the dog’s turnaround. “Looking at [her] today compared to when she first arrived is almost hard to believe,” Callea said. The dog, now renamed Marjorie due to her distinctive post-grooming hair resembling a cartoon character’s towering hairstyle, has since gained weight and energy, enjoying playtime with Callea’s other pets and accompanying her on outdoor activities.

Second place in the contest went to Kailey, an 11-year-old miniature poodle from Maryland who had been surrendered to the SPCA of Anne Arundel County in January. Her fur was reportedly not groomed or bathed for four years, resulting in severe matting that impaired her vision and ability to open her mouth. The shelter noted that after grooming, Kailey’s appearance was completely transformed.

Third place was awarded to Dominic, a dog from Southern California found in a similarly neglected state with severe matting following his owner’s death earlier this year.

The contest aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by shelter dogs and promotes the role of professional grooming in improving their well-being and adoption potential. Marjorie continues to visit Sosa periodically, sometimes to remedy grass stains picked up during her outdoor adventures, always leaving after a thorough pampering session.