A 10-year-old shelter dog who has been up for adoption for the last three years just received the best Christmas gift: a forever home!
After spending 1,134 days under the care of Animal Friends, Capone, a Labrador retriever mix, finally found a permanent home after his foster family adopted him earlier this month.
The dog is the facility’s longest-term resident, which makes this adoption even more special.
The Pennsylvania animal shelter said he arrived there in November 2017 as a transfer from another organization. Although Capone made many human friends during his stay, none of them considered taking him home.
His age, as well as his “very specific behavioral and medical challenges,” could have contributed to his struggle in finding a home. The canine’s preference for a home without children and other pets also delayed his adoption, according to CBS Pittsburgh.
But everything fell into place when his new owners—whose names haven’t been revealed— decided to make him a permanent member of their family after fostering him for several weeks.
The couple says everything has been smooth sailing since Capone arrived in their household on December 10.
“Since we’ve welcomed Capone into our home, his transformation has been truly amazing,” they told WTAE.
“His anxiety has diminished quickly and continues to melt away. He is a good and loving boy who enjoys snuggling and family life. We attribute his success to the care and training he received from the devoted staff and volunteers at Animal Friends, and we thank them for their efforts.”
The dog has been up for adoption for such a long time that Animal Friends wanted their followers to celebrate this momentous occasion with him.
On December 11, the group announced the happy news on their official Facebook page alongside a photo of Capone with his new owners.
“They say good things come to those who wait … and that couldn’t be more true for our sweet Capone who FINALLY found his new family yesterday,” the organization wrote.
“Happy Tails Capone! We’re so glad that you have a family of your own and a home for the holidays,” the post ended.
So far, the announcement has garnered over 1.7K reactions and hundreds of comments. Many people expressed their happiness over Capone’s adoption and wished him well in his new life.
“The best story of the year! YAY Capone! Thanks for giving this special guy the home he so deserves! Merry Christmas to the new family,” one commented.
“I am so happy to see this. I remember him, my husband and I thought he was a super sweet pup when we came and adopted our sweetheart Beanie in 2019. We are thrilled to see this. Congratulations to the happy family from us and our Beanie,” another wrote.
On December 16, the group also posted a video documenting Capone’s three-year stay in the shelter to celebrate the happy memories they shared with him.
“We never gave up on him, no matter how long it took,” the video begins.
It also captured a trainer teaching the canine how to find things through scent as his eyesight declined. The scenes were both sweet and inspiring!
The dog’s friend and companion, Anita DeBaise, who volunteers at Animal Friends, is delighted that Capone has finally found a permanent home after a long wait. However, she admits she will miss him terribly.
“I will really miss our time together – playing in the play yard, enrichment, training where Capone showed how smart he was and mostly the time we just sat together and snuggled,” she said.
“Capone will always have a special place in my heart but now has everything he deserves: a loving family who will love him and accept him for the wonderful dog he truly is.”