Niamh (that’s pronounced Neeve, NEEVE) is already known as an animal lover. She volunteers at Pegasus Riding Academy, a therapeutic riding center (click on the link to learn more, donate, or volunteer). She recently saved the life of a lovable pooch named Hugo, who is now a favorite at Bauman Rare Books. I’ll let her tell it in her own words.

Here’s the synopsis. On June 5th, while browsing Facebook, I saw that my friend Addie had reposted a link to some pictures of a dog who had been abandoned in the rain, in front of the Green Line café at 42nd and Baltimore. I called the Green Line to see if anyone had claimed him and decided I should go pick him up. I left work, borrowed a car and found him tied with a chain to a bike rack. He was completely infested with fleas, has a partially embedded collar, and was about 10 lbs under weight. After 3 baths he was flea free and had became a temporary member of my household. Doug (from the Green Line) and I searched for a few weeks for his possible owners, using Craigslist, posters, and facebook. No one came forward. I took him to the vet to get checked out and update his shots, etc. They checked for a microchip (there was none) and found that he had 2 kinds of worms. They asked if I wanted to get him chipped and congratulated me on my new pup! The name Hugo (the name came from LOST—totally dorky) stuck and he is now a healthy, happy member of the household, living with two cats, and occasionally filling in as the Bauman mascot.

She gave us some before and after pictures of the legendary Hugo.

Here he is, distraught, lonely, abandoned, the image of desolation and hopelessness, with bad posture and a big frown, sitting out in the rain while hipsters sip lattes and look at him and cluck “what a shame, someone should do something about it.”

Isn’t it astonishing, what love can do? Look how happy this guy is now. He’s a stout bundle of charisma and amity, the very picture of man’s, and woman’s, best friend. I mean: just look at him! Don’t you want to roll around on the carpet with him? Of course you do. Thanks, Niamh! You did the right thing with Hugo. E-Verse salutes you!