You see a long-haired, fluffy dog at a shelter. What breed are you thinking of?

A golden retriever, maybe? A sheep dog? A collie?

Well if the dog you were looking at was Cassie, you would be wrong.

Cassie was rescued by Detroit Animal Care and Control (DACC) after being severely malnourished. She was so neglected, she couldn't even stand up. Cassie's brother Hellman also came to the shelter, but the two looked like totally different breeds!

Cassie and Hellman are both pit bulls! But Cassie is a little fluffier than most.

Hellman became available for adoption pretty soon, and he joined a family with an 8-year-old husky.

Cassie is still rehabilitating from her past and is partnered with Teacher's Pet, Dogs and Kids Learning Together, a program that pairs troubled kids with shelter dogs. The kids learn empathy while the dogs learn patience.

Cassie is also working with a juvenile detention center to learn how to trust people and understand she will always have food, now. Cassie is being taught not to jump up on people out of excitement, and her human partner is learning self-confidence and gaining some pride.

"I am smitten by her scruffiness and everyone that comes to see her is intrigued," Rachel Gentz of Teacher's Pet said.

If you would like more information on how to adopt Cassie, you can get some here!