MARION - Donna Lee Tufts has always loved animals. After writing her first book “From My Kayak,” she started writing on a second book about all the dogs in her life.

But then she met Lola, the mutt the Sperry family rescued.

“She just had a perfect story,” Tufts said.

The Sperry’s were renting a house next door to Tufts when they adopted Lola, and Tufts quickly bonded with the family and the pup.

“I became very close with her,” she said. “I would watch her when [the Sperry’s] were away. I really got to bond with her.”

Lola was living at a shelter on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands before coming to Marion. She was separated from her sister, who was too ill to make the trip at the time, and landed at Logan International Airport in Boston. She was then transported to a shelter on Cape Cod, where the Sperry’s picked her up to bring her home.

Eventually, Tufts said without giving too much away, Lola was reunited with her sister Cocoa.

The long journey and the separation and subsequent reunion of the littermates inspired Tufts to focus her book on Lola.

To write the book, titled “Lola, My Girl,” Tufts had to do some research on Lola’s history.

She got the name of the shelter she was at on St. Thomas and called and spoke to the manager.

“She was very open, and sent photos and information about Lola,” Tufts said. “From that I was able to put a story together.”

Aside from the matriarch of the Sperry family, who provided additional photos and information, nobody in the family knew Tufts was working on a book about Lola.

“I didn’t show them until it was done,” Tufts said. [Daughters Tessa and Chloe] were so excited.”

Tufts book is available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.