Remember “Miracle Molly,” the pit bull who survived being struck by an Amtrak train in January and was then adopted by the police officer who rescued her?

As if that wasn't enough of a happy ending, the dog's story has put BARCS, the shelter that nursed her back to health, in the running for thousands of dollars in grant money.

Molly and the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter are one of 54 finalists in Petco Foundation's Holiday Wishes campaign. Each organization, chosen from over 5,000 entries, will receive a grant between $5,000 and $100,000 from the foundation. You can also vote for BARCS for a People's Choice award — an extra $5,000-$25,000 — until Dec. 31.

Molly's story went viral this year when she made a remarkable recovery after being struck by an Amtrak train. Amtrak Police Officer Kevin McMullen climbed down to the tunnel to help the injured stray, whose left hind leg had been cut off.

After Molly's surgery and a few weeks of recovery at BARCS, McMullen and his girlfriend, Claire Giambi, came back to adopt Molly and take her to their Rosedale home. Giambi submitted Molly's story to the contest.

—Ellen Fishel