Penny is wishing and hoping and praying that this week she’ll be the dog someone is seeking. After all, this is when people want their Funny Valentine. The song says that’s someone “who’s looks are laughable”, but who’ll become her person’s “favorite work of art.” Penny and her twin sister Piper fit the qualifications.

Yet their looks aren’t just funny. They’re miraculous. The spayed, five-year-old girls are Shar Pei mixes. In 1978, they were the rarest breed, with 60 in the world. A few, smuggled out of China, restarted the breed.

But in every important way, Penny is just an ordinary good dog, housebroken, leash trained and happy with kids and cats. Also, she lost her home for the most ordinary reason. Her people moved.