Chip arrived at an animal shelter when he was only a 7-week-old puppy in need of a loving forever family. And then for the next 15 years, he waited. The little gray dog spent almost his entire life at the Save-a-Pet Shelter in Port Eʟɪᴢᴀʙᴇᴛʜ, Sᴏᴜᴛʜ Aꜰʀɪᴄᴀ, until Thursday, when Chip finally got to go home with a dad of his very own.

One of Chip’s admirers wrote earlier this week, “Chip has NEVER had a home, NEVER had a family to love and appreciate him, NEVER had someone to play with him or take him for walks, NEVER had a warm bed to sleep in or a human to cuddle up to.”

Now, finally, Chip will have everything a dog could want. On Thursday afternoon the shelter posted a triumphant adoption portrait of Chip and his new dad, Jaco Rademeyer, about to take the little dog to his very first home.

Due to his health difficulties, Chip might not have many years left with his new family, but he will finally experience all the love and comfort he longs for. Although animal shelters do great things to assist the most in need animals, nothing can replace the love and bond that animals may share with their human family. Chip will now experience what that’s like.