EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the first in a series of occasional columns about the results of local animal rescue efforts.

Caly is dressed up for a special occasion at the Lukkasson household in Minnesota.

She was probably somebody's hunting dog. Unfortunately, she might have been abused or mistreated.

But that's all behind her now, hopefully forgotten, thanks to rescue efforts by the Humane Society of Henderson County late last year. This shy but friendly little beagle named Caly has found her forever home in Maple Grove, Minn., with her adoptive family, the Lukkassons.

"She comes running happily when we call her and loves to give us kisses," said adoptive mom Linda Lukkasson. "She's a very loving little dog."

Caly, which is short for Calypso Belle, is one of more than 400 dogs and cats from Henderson that were transported to rescue groups by former shelter director Anne Gryczon and local volunteers during 2005.

The Lukkassons first found out about Caly when they saw her photo on a Web site operated by Homeward Bound Dog Rescue of Minnesota, a volunteer-run rescue group that houses its dogs in foster homes and holds weekly adoption events at area pet stores.

"We were not looking for another dog but we fell in love with her picture," Lukkasson said. "Her eyes looked like they were looking right at us -- she looked like she needed us."

The Minnesota family came across Caly's photo shortly before Christmas and by the next adoption event on Dec. 28, they knew they had found the right pet for them.

"Our grown-up kids went with us to adopt Caly into our family," Lukkasson said. "We got there early so that she could be ours immediately once they opened for adoptions."

The family completed the adoption process, and Caly moved from her foster home about 30 minutes away to the Lukkassons' suburban Minneapolis home.

"She is so much fun and has adjusted very nicely. She acts like she has always been with us," Lukkasson said.

Caly, who is about 5 years old, was a bit shy at first but quickly adapted to her new home, which includes two "sisters," a 14-year-old Lab and a 4-year-old basset hound.

"It took her about 24 hours to want to lie by them to sleep and feel comfortable," Lukkasson said.

Now, nearly seven months after getting a new lease on life, Caly spends her days playing with children and romping in the yard.

"I do daycare for seven children (under 6) and she gets along wonderfully with them," Lukkasson said. "She loves to have them rub her belly. We have never heard her growl."

"She loves to be outside and chase rabbits in our fenced yard, watch the birds and lie in the sun."

Very little is known of Caly's life in Henderson.

"The only thing we know about her past is she was kept in a pen and taken out to hunt one time a year," Lukkasson said."She was dropped off at the Henderson shelter with no other information. We don't know about the abuse (if any), but she doesn't like loud noises or feet moving too fast."

Regardless of her past, Caly is now one happy pooch.

"She has just a little stub of a tail but it's always wagging," the adoptive mother said. "She is a very special little dog and we can't imagine not having her with us even after just having her" for seven months.

"Lucky us to have Caly in our lives!"

Since Gryczon's departure last December from the Henderson animal shelter, an additional 65 dogs were taken to rescue by a local volunteer group in January and March, but no shelter animals have gone to rescue since then, other than about 10 cats that were placed in the Tri-state area.

The local humane society, under the direction of interim director John Dunaway since late February, is in the process of earning its certification with the PetSmart Charities' Rescue Waggin' pet transport program which could eventually lead to up to 100 local dogs per month being taken to the Wisconsin Humane Society, which Dunaway says has a high adoption rate.

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