After being abandoned by her family, this beautiful dog has been given a second chance.

After she escaped her family’s yard, Zuzu the two-year-old German Shepherd mix found herself in a local dog pound.

Days later, she spotted her family through the wire fence.

Zuzu was boisterous and delighted and crying with joy at the sight of the people she loved more than anything; as far as she was concerned, they’d finally come to save her.

But they weren't at the dog shelter to to bring her home.

They were there to adopt another dog.

Watch the heartbreaking moment Zuzu spotted her old family. (Post continues after video.)

Desi Lara, an employee from the Downey Animal Care Centre in Los Angeles, posted the video to Facebook at the end of November. And it went viral.

"Zuzu's father ... had just passed away and Zuzu was crying and heartbroken. She escaped her family's yard and hopped the wall and got into her neighbour's yard," she explained.

"The unhappy neighbour called animal control and she ended up here. And her owners were going to let her stay here."

Their reason for not getting her back from the pound?

"She was not a happy dog anymore."

But never fear. The story takes a turn for the heartwarming.

Zuzu has been adopted.

In footage posted to Downey Animal Care Centre's YouTube channel, the beautiful doggo has walked free from the shelter to a new home.

"Zuzu has left the building!" Downey Shelter wrote on its Facebook page.

Her former family "has not been allowed to adopt another dog", according to the Centre.

Zuzu seems hesitant in the video in which she leaves the shelter, but that's understandable given the confusing few weeks she's had.

We thank the fantastic volunteers at Downey Animal Care Centre for taking such good care of Zuzu, and helping to re-home her. Here's hoping the gorgeous pup has a fantastic new life with fantastic new people.

You can follow the Downey Animal Care Centre on Facebook here.

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