Maggie the rescue dog in the spotlight.
Maggie was just an ordinary shelter dog—patiently waiting for someone to take her home. But today, it's safe to say she is beyond ordinary. You might even say she's extraordinary.
The once-homeless dog now has a loving forever home and bona fide career in show business, having acted and modeled in more than 40 projects. She even does therapy work on the side.
From the shelter to the TV screen, Maggie is proof that rescue dogs can shine bright if given the chance.
Maggie's journey to bigger and better things began in the North Central Los Angeles Animal Shelter in California when she was about 1 year old. That's when she met Nicole Ellis, a certified dog trainer, who was in search of a canine companion.
"Not only did I not have a breed in mind, [but] I didn't have a size or gender since I grew up with mutts in my family from 100-pound to 4-pound dogs," she adds.
After visiting many shelters and scouring the web, Ellis happened upon an online post for a Rottweiler puppy at the city shelter. So, on a Friday in May 2008, during rush-hour traffic, she reached the shelter just before closing time. She soon found out that the Rottie puppy wasn't the one for her—he wasn't even a puppy at all.
On her way out of the shelter, Ellis spotted a scared little Maggie sitting quietly in her cage. At that moment, Ellis says she knew she and Maggie were meant to be together.
Ellis paid the $86 adoption fee and then officially met Maggie.
Little is known about Maggie's past and why she ended up in the shelter, which can be common for rescue dogs. Ellis soon discovered the sweet Bichon/Poodle/Cocker Spaniel mix did have a few issues to overcome.
Maggie's health also hit some snags when she developed serious allergies that made her scratch her skin raw.
Maggie is also on special allergy shots for her environmental allergies.
Ellis grew up modeling and acting, and she trains animals for TV and other productions. Involving Maggie in the business seemed like a natural extension. The little dog ended up having a knack for it.
Maggie's first break came from a Shiseido commercial that aired in Japan.
Since then, Maggie has performed in a number of productions, such as the Comedy Central series "Ahamed's Ramadan Diary" and an adaptation of the Stephen King novel "Premium Harmony." She's appeared in segments on "Today" and other talk shows. And her resume boasts a long list of work with national brands, including Uber, American Apparel and AT&T, and pet brands, including Jax & Bones and iFetch.
"She loves to learn and do behaviors for people," Ellis says.
Beyond acting, Maggie also does a lot of therapy work.
"We've done everything from safe houses for kids to Shriners hospital in Pasadena, California, to even flying to Nashville, Tennessee, to put on a show and visit the kids at Vanderbilt hospital," Ellis says.
Not bad for a shy little shelter dog!
Diana Bocco is a full-time writer and adventurer who has written for National Geographic, DiscoveryChannel.com, Yahoo! and Marie Claire. Diana has lived in five countries and taken her rescued dogs along to each one of them.