Disney's New 'Tramp' Went from Kill Shelter to Movie Star

Disney's new Tramp, in the upcoming live-action remake of "Lady and the Tramp," didn't slum it for too long before catching his big break ... we've learned the pup went from kill shelter to shelter before becoming a huge movie star.

Monte, the 2-year-old terrier mix had a rough start to life. He was on the verge of being euthanized at a kill shelter before the folks at HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix scooped him up, saving him from death.

So, now's the terrier's big break ... Mark Forbes, the animal trainer for "Lady and the Tramp," was on the hunt for a scruffy canine, and Monte must have worked his magic at HALO because the trainer saw potential ... a potential movie star!!!

Forbes adopted Monte -- after the pooch spent just 7 days at HALO -- trained him well, and Disney execs fell in love ... i.e., Monte nailed the audition.

Good on the folks at HALO, because they wanted to make sure Monte didn't become one of the has-beens that litter the streets of Hollywood. The org made Forbes promise Monte would become a family pet once filming was over.

Forbes agreed, and he now lives with the fam and even has a newborn baby and pet raccoon to keep him company.

Monte's making his film debut on the new Disney+ streaming service this November ... and HALO hopes his story will lead to more adoptions for dogs in shelters across the globe.