A puppy named Malcolm was brought to a shelter in Michigan, USA. He was found on the street all alone, and not much was known about the little guy’s past. No one knew how long he had been on the streets, but the team was happy to take him in. At first he was afraid of his new environment, but he quickly got used to people. The baby was kind, playful, and active.

“Malcolm is quite a character,” Tommy Sanfilippo, a staff member at MARL, told The Dodo. “When people would enter his kennel, he would often greet them with a toy in his mouth, prancing around in a circle with his whole backside happily wiggling. He was always an easy dog to introduce new volunteers to; just give him a few treats to break the ice, and he’s good to go.”

The shelter staff was sure that it would be easy to find a home for such an adorable boy – but it turned out not so. Soon Malcolm became an “old man” among the shelter residents. He sat modestly in the enclosure and looked at the dogs that were taken away for their new families.

“He was already good friends with his new mom; she met him while volunteering with us, and had spent lots of time hanging out with him,” Sanfilippo said. “They even went on some outings together: going to the park, the pet store and even to her home.”

Malcolm was very close with all the volunteers who took care of the dogs, and especially with one girl. Time passed, and seeing this wonderful boy sad and in need of a family, the girl couldn’t take it anymore – she and her boyfriend decided to take Malcolm in permanently!

“I think he picked up on the fact that something was different about that day,” Sanfilippo said. “His enormous smile as he posed for a picture with his new family really is worth a thousand words.”

Both the new owners and the staff were happy and, of course, Malcolm was the happiest of all. Even in the first photo with the new owners, he couldn’t hide his emotions and was smiling all the time, as if he understood that a new life awaited him!

“We’ve been fortunate to get several updates from his adopters, and they’ve all been great,” Sanfilippo said. “He’s gone on some fun adventures, enjoys lots of snuggles at home, and is getting the love and consistency that help turn a good dog into a great pet. It’s honestly a perfect fit for him.”