DENVER (KDVR) — A dog who was shot in the face after being on the run in Denver for months has been adopted into a new family.

Solo Vino, a 3-year-old white Australian shepherd, was first spotted on the loose in Denver last May. According to Denver Animal Protection, he evaded capture for months until the morning of Aug. 22 when a resident reported hearing a gunshot and seeing the dog in the area with an injury to his face.

That’s when Denver Animal Protection asked the public for help finding the dog. DAP said it received dozens of reports about the dog including several attempts to catch him.

Within a couple of days, Solo Vino was captured by volunteer trappers Karlee Arguello and Sarah Luv-Garcia, who typically catch cats around the Denver area.

“He arrived at Denver Animal Shelter (DAS), bloodied, weak, and in pain. Our talented vet staff removed bullet fragments from the injured pup’s fractured upper and lower jaw, along with pulling several broken teeth,” the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment wrote in a blog post.

The frightened dog wore a fitted muzzle for nearly three months. DDPHE said he was able to eat gruel with it on. A foster family took him in and cared for him until November when they decided they wanted to make him a permanent member of their family.

According to DDPHE, the family said he was “quiet and reserved” for the first several weeks. He spent a lot of time sleeping in a corner and did not want attention. But he slowly began to socialize more with the foster family.

“After about a month, he began following us around and showing more affection. His condition improved remarkably in early October, exuding curiosity and playfulness throughout the day,” the family said in a statement to DDPHE.

The family said his “spirit rebounded fully” when it was finally time to remove his muzzle and cone, describing him as a “new dog, one that sprints through the living room and begs for several long walks a day.”

The family added that Solo Vino has been social with other dogs on walks and with neighbors, and has never shown any aggressive behavior.

In a few months, the dog will have one more mouth surgery to remove the roots of teeth left in his jaw.

“How life has changed for the better for Solo Vino! Wishing him and his new owners a happy 2025,” DDPHE wrote in a post on X Wednesday.

DDPHE added that stories like this are made possible with help from the community. “Donations provide emergency surgeries and supplies for the foster care it took to nurse Solo Vino back to health,” DDPHE said. Those interested in helping can make donations online.