Arizona (USA) - What an emotional rescue operation! Last month, Bella the dog broke the hearts of her two finders when they discovered her in a parking lot in Arizona. But when Zachary and his girlfriend Samantha read the note the four-legged friend was carrying, it was all over for them.

Speaking to Newsweek this week, Zachary recounted his first encounter with the abandoned furbaby: "Samantha, my girlfriend, started crying, I was heartbroken. I love animals and immediately felt blessed with the task of finding a safe place for Bella."

Bella had enough confidence in the couple that they easily reached the letter hanging from her collar. According to the message, the dog had lived with her owner for a good 16 years. Between the lines, it sounded as if she had passed away.

"I bark at door noises and when people enter the house. Even to people I know," the heartbreaking letter read, among other things.

It was immediately clear to Zachary and Samantha what they had to do now.

"Bella was perfect. We couldn't imagine leaving her on the street, and when we thought about taking her to a shelter, we realized how difficult it actually is," the dog lover told the US magazine.

Even in the US , the couple expected a level of bureaucracy they didn't want to face. "There are waiting lists and a few other things that complicate the process," Zachary said.

Eventually, the couple decided to use the neighborhood networking app Nextdoor. In fact, they soon landed a hit this way. A friendly retired couple took care of the dog .

"It felt right," Zachary summarized in an interview with the news magazine. Bella can now hopefully enjoy her retirement in peace.