A shelter dog who has spent three years at the Cheltenham Animal Shelter gets the best Christmas gift ever — getting adopted and spending the holiday season with his forever family.

“We have THE BEST news to share with you this Christmas!” The UK-based animal shelter shared on Friday, December 20 on their Facebook page.

The animal shelter also shared how the dog, an Akita named Kato, first came to their shelter in 2021.

Kato came to their shelter with his best friend, Poppy, in April 2021 after their owner passed away.

“Despite our best efforts, we just could not find anyone willing to take on these two large dogs, who were the best of friends, and time marched on with them living together in one of our kennels,” Cheltenham Animal Shelter shares.

While no adopter were willing to take on these two dogs, Kato and Poppy seemed happy to be together in the shelter.

However, in July 2023, Kato’s best friend, Poppy, passed away, which left Kato alone and depressed.

“Our staff rallied round, and Kato became a regular fixture in our offices during the day, but at night we could tell he missed his friend greatly.“

The animal shelter hoped that since Kato is now by himself, it’ll be easier to get him adopted. “But sadly this was not to be, Kato settled in his new routine and bonded even more with our team,” the animal shelter shared.

Wanting Kato to finally go to his forever home, the animal shelter worked with other charities to spread the word about Kato and promoted him on the animal shelter’s social media, newsletters, and in local press.

“Then one day in October 2024 a lovely couple called David and Jackie got in touch having recently lost their beloved Siberian husky, Shadow,” Cheltenham Animal Shelter explains. “They had seen our appeals to find a home for Kato and were keen to see if they could meet him.”

Describing the couple and Kato’s first meeting as something “clearly meant to be”, the animal shelter reveals that the couple wasn’t expecting too much, but Kato ran over to them and introduced himself.

Over the next couple of weeks, the couple met with Kato at the shelter on several occasions before the couple had Kato visit their home.

“It is safe to say that Kato approved of his new surroundings, immediately taking over the chair that Shadow once slept in.”

The Cheltenham Animal Shelter reveals that Kato’s wishes finally came true, like Christmas magic, and recently went home to Jackie and David, ready to spend his first ever Christmas in a loving, forever home for the first time in three years.

“He recently went to his forever home, in a lovely rural village, with endless walks and fields to explore. His new family dote on him and are chuffed to bits that they were able to offer him a lovely new home where he will spend Christmas this year,” the animal shelter wrote.

* This article was originally published here