Despite the challenges he has encountered, Petey the rescue dog has always been a cheerful boy. The adorable puppy was already the longest resident at his county shelter in North Carolina at just one year old

Petey’s stay had already been prolonged beyond customary lengths due to the small shelter’s capacity issue. In the absence of any prospective adopters, the shelter contacted the SPCA of Wake County to ask if they might aid in giving Petey more time to find his family.

Petey was immediately accepted by the SPCA. Despite the dire circumstances, Petey didn’t seem at bit depressed. Rather, he was overjoyed to meet his new pals

“As soon as he got here, he was yanking on the leash trying to get through the door,” Samantha Ranlet, spokesperson for the SPCA of Wake County, told The Dodo. “He bounded into the building.”

The dog’s outgoing nature initially astounded SPCA officials, especially when they thought about how frequently he had been missed at his prior shelter

“He was super friendly from day one and very playful,” Ranlet said. “We couldn’t believe that nobody wanted him.”

As soon as he arrived, Petey’s SPCA pals immediately submitted a photo of him to their website, but they were concerned that he would be disregarded once more.

“We, unfortunately, expected that he might be overlooked for smaller dogs, like before,” Ranlet said. “But it only took about a few weeks for someone to fall in love with him.”

Ranlet claims that when Petey’s forever family saw the adorable dog’s picture, they knew right once that he belonged with them. After a month of staying at the SPCA, Petey was picked up by his new family, putting an end to his protracted stay in the shelter.

Petey quickly adapted to his new surroundings as he enjoyed spending time with his beloved human siblings and puppy brother. He already enjoys giving his family countless hugs and kisses and playing fetch in his backyard.

And at the end of the day, Petey, the once-forgotten shelter dog, cuddles up in his cozy bed and drifts off to sleep with a big grin on his face.

“That is the smile of a dog who knows he’s home,” the shelter wrote on Facebook.

One of the dogs in shelters who receive extended neglect is Petey. Between 8 and 10 puppies have been waiting for their forever homes at SCPA of Wake County alone for almost a year.

Ranlet and the SPCA staff, however, are optimistic that the stories of their other long-term residents will conclude nicely, just as Petey’s did.