Kelly Ripa Adopts Rescue Dog Featured on Live : 'The Consueloses Have Made a Decision to Adopt'

Kelly Ripa had an exciting announcement for Ryan Seacrest on Tuesday's Live with Kelly and Ryan.

"The Consueloses have made a decision to adopt Lena," Ripa, 50, told her co-host, 46.

Lena is a Maltese/ Shih Tzu mix that was featured as an adoptable pet on Live's Happy Pets segment on March 8. After announcing Lena's adoption and showing several pictures of the rescue pup, Ripa spoke more about her family's choice.

Before officially adopting Lena, Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos wanted to make sure the new dog and their other rescue pooch, Chewie, got along.

"My whole fear was that I didn't want Chewie to feel replaced in any way," Ripa shared on the show.

courtesy Kelly Ripa

To ensure that everyone cohabitated peacefully, Ripa sought out tips from her friend and dog trainer Andrea Arden. With Arden's expertise and the Consuelos family's devotion to the two dogs, Chewie and Lena acclimated to one another quickly.

Ripa decided to officially adopt Lena not long after witnessing a tender moment between the new dog and Chewie. While checking on Lena in her crate one night, she saw "Chewie was outside the [Lena's] crate, sitting next to her with their noses together," Ripa explained on Tuesday's show.

courtesy Live with Kelly and Ryan

Things have been smooth sailing at Ripa's house since Lena's adoption, aside for a family disagreement about the new dog's name.

Ripa said the family chose the name Lena because it was close to the dog's name at the shelter, which was Angelina, but now her children — Michael, 23, Lola, 19, and Joaquin, 18 — want something different.

"My kids want her to be named Leia, as in Princess Leia, because we have Chewie," Ripa shared on Live, hinting at Star Wars name theme. "I don't know. I need guidance."

"However, your kids aren't going to be there for most of her life," Seacrest countered, referring to how Ripa's adult children are almost all out of the house.

RELATED: Kelly Ripa Wishes Youngest Son Joaquin a Happy 18th Birthday: 'The Light of Our Lives'

Michael graduated virtually from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts last spring. Lola is currently a sophomore at NYU. Over the weekend, the University of Michigan announced Joaquin, Ripa's youngest, will join their wrestling program in the fall.

courtesy Michael Gelman

Ripa isn't the only one to find puppy love on Live. Lena's brother Billie, who was also featured on the show, was recently adopted by Live's executive producer Michael Gelman.

Over the years, the Live staff has adopted 16 dogs and one rabbit featured on the show and has helped find homes for hundreds of other shelter pets by supporting animal rescue on air.

"If you're thinking about getting a dog, call your local animal shelter. Those dogs are just dreams," Ripa shared at the end of her segment on Lena's adoption.