Altadena, California - Dominic was left with nothing after the January 2025 California wildfires. To keep his dog Blade safe from harm, the pet owner sadly surrendered him to the shelter. What happened months later had everyone in tears.

After the Eaton fires began, Dominic brought Blade to the Pasadena Humane for emergency boarding.

A viral Instagram post explains how the dog owner had originally hoped to be able to bring his four-legged friend back home soon after the evacuation order was over.

Sadly, Dominic's house burned to the ground in the fires.

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It took him 15 months to finally get back on his feet, searching relentlessly for new accommodations after losing it all.

This tale was not unusual for the shelter workers, as they explained in a viral Instagram post: "Blade was one of many pets who stayed in our care for months, and some for over a year, as we committed to supporting our community in the aftermath of the blaze."

The friendly lab mix missed his dad, but he got lots of walks, playtime, and love at the shelter in the meantime.

"None of this was a replacement for being home with his family, but we did what we could to make Blade's stay with us as happy as possible after everything he had been through," the shelter added.

Then, one day, something incredible happened!

After 15 months, Dominic finally came back to the shelter to pick up Blade and take him to their brand new home!

"There wasn't a dry eye in the room as Dominic and Blade were reunited, and we had never seen Blade happier as his eyes lit up at the sight of his dad," the shelter recounted.

"Dominic hugged and thanked our staff and volunteers who cared for his beloved pup, with Blade even squeezing into the middle of one hug just to be a part of it."

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Several of the shelter's photos show the dog and his human greeting each other with joy – but after such a long time, it was a little hard for the staff to say goodbye to Blade.

In the end, of course, everyone was overjoyed for the duo.

"We were so incredibly happy to see Dominic and Blade walk out together, ready to start their new life," the shelter wrote.

"The Eaton Fire continues to impact our community to this day, and we know recovery will take time. But moments like these show that healing is possible, and we know there will be many moments of hope yet to come."