Neco's arrival at PAWS Atlanta broke our hearts. His owner had recently passed away and the surviving son wasn't able to keep him. He made the difficult decision to bring him to the shelter so he would have a second chance at a loving home. At 15 years old, Neco was overwhelmed by the shelter, likely very confused at his new circumstances. Our staff gave him as much love as they could while he tried to settle in.

Thankfully, after only a week at the shelter, Neco found the perfect home. His new mom had seen his story on social media and immediately knew she wanted to bring this sweet boy home to stay. He adapted to his new life and routine quickly, elated to be home again. His new mom spoils him endlessly, with freshly cooked meals just for him and all the cozy beds he could ever want.

After about a month in his new home, Neco's mom took him on his afternoon walk on the BeltLine when something incredible happened. A man saw Neco and asked, "Is your dog named Neco? Did you adopt him from PAWS Atlanta?" Confused at first, Neco's mom told him that she had adopted him from PAWS Atlanta, and tears filled the man's eyes. Out of everyone in the city, she had come across the son of Neco's original owners! "He was crying, I was crying: it was very emotional," Neco's owner told our team. "He told me all about his mom and dad, who were the original owners, and how after their deaths, he couldn’t take care of Neco. During our chat, I could see his guilt disappear! It was magical. It was like his parents were there to show him that their beloved Neco was ok and surrounded by a lot of love again!"

Animals come to PAWS Atlanta for all kinds of reasons, and surrendering an animal to the shelter is never an easy decision. We're so glad that Neco's previous and current owners were able to connect in this incredible way, all for the sake of knowing Neco was forever safe and sound.