Scottish SPCA/FacebookYou probably remember this story taking the Internet by storm a month ago. And you might have thought to yourself: "E! Loves did not cover the sad tale about the Shar-pei being abandoned at the Ayr railway station in Scotland with nothing but a suitcase full of belongings. That's weird. E! Loves is all about animal stories. Seriously, it's actually insane how much they write about cats and dogs and red pandas and baby goats. The section should be called E! Loves Animals."
(You're not wrong about any of that.)
Anyway, there was a reason we refused to cover it. Kai's story made us so sad that we vowed to not write a word about his abandonment until we knew he would get a happy ending. And that day has finally come, you guys!
Kai, who officials guessed to be between two and three years old, has been rehomed with 52-year-old East Renfrewshire resident Ian Russell.
Even though Kai is the one who is getting the happy ending, it's Ian who feels like the lucky lottery winner, because due to the puppy's viral story, hundreds of people applied to adopt him.
"It feels like fate that I've been able to rehome Kai and I'm not usually a believer in things like that," he told The Scotsman. "I'm over the moon and very shocked that I was chosen out of everyone who wanted him. Being the one to rehome Kai is a bit like winning the lottery and I'm really looking forward to getting him home and bonding with him."
Just like Kai, Ian was going through his own hard time when he heard about this poor abandoned puppy. Ian lost his beloved Dalmatian, Mica, just before Christmas and was "heartbroken" over the passing of his companion.
"I had her for 15 years and she was the apple of my eye," he said. "When I heard about Kai I knew the little guy needed a break but I never thought in a million years I'd get him. I called the Scottish SPCA just to check he was OK and see if there was anything I could do to help. Fast-forward a few weeks and here I am taking him home. I honestly think it was meant to be."
Scottish SPCA animal care assistant Alan Grant says Ian was chosen because he wanted to adopt Kai for the right reasons.
"Kai's story was really sad and many people likened him to Paddington Bear, given he was found alone at a railway station with his suitcase," said Alan Grant. "It was really important for us to select an owner who wanted Kai for all the right reasons and had really thought through their decision to take on a rescue dog. We know Kai will have a fantastic new life with Ian and we couldn't be happier for him."
It sounds like Kai will be traveling the country and running around in the great outdoors with his new owner, as Ian works as a self-employed hydraulic engineer all over Scotland. He said Kai will come with him on jobs if the work site is safe and he'll be able to run around and play while Ian works.
The investigation into Kai's initial abandonment at the train station is still ongoing.
We are so overjoyed that Kai got the happy ending he so greatly deserves, but there are still countless pets out there that need forever homes. Go to PetFinder.com to save a life, and always remember to adopt, don't shop!