People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and a starving dog originally named Coco scored a victory in Northampton County court last week when the dog’s owner, Sharicka Smith, pleaded guilty.

The dog, which is now named Noel, was starving and emaciated when PETA rescued her from Smith’s backyard in Garysburg in early December.

Smith pleaded guilty to attempted cruelty to animals and was sentenced to a year of supervised probation and 40 hours of community service and has been banned from owning animals for life.

During the hearing in Northampton County court, the PETA fieldworker who first encountered Noel testified that she was responding to a neighbor's complaint about the dog's deplorable condition, PETA said in a news release.

Noel was tethered to the trunk of a thorny bush, was unable to move more than 10 inches or reach the few pieces of dry dog kibble scattered on the ground, had no access to shelter or water, and was emaciated to the point that her ribs and hip bones protruded prominently.

Noel then.

Noel also had scabs and open sores on her ears and tail that required veterinary attention. Noel was given to PETA and taken to a veterinary hospital, where it was confirmed that her emaciation was the result of starvation.

The Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals rehabilitated Noel, whose drastic recovery included healing the wounds on her ears and tail as well as increasing her weight from a 25.4 pounds to a healthy 42.2 pounds was described by her foster home as "truly a heartwarming Christmas miracle."

The SPCA's youth programs director, who wound up adopting Noel, reports that the formerly shy pooch is now the "sweetest, sloppiest kiss-giving, bedtime ‘snuggler.’"

"Noel's rescue demonstrates why reporting suspected cruelty to and neglect of animals—as Noel's concerned neighbor did—is an essential and lifesaving act," says PETA Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. "PETA thanks the justice system in Northampton County for taking Noel's case seriously and taking the necessary steps to ensure that Noel's former owner will never starve and neglect another animal."