Bean, a longtime shelter dog, is used to receiving love. During her 10-year stay at Animal Refuge Center (ARC), her days were filled with adventures and dedicated caregivers.

From running around ARC’s 2-acre dog park to cooling off with her pals in one of the shelter’s many baby pools, Bean’s life didn’t really reflect that of a typical shelter dog.

“Her life wasn’t a one-on-one, individual, family-at-home kind of love,” Michelle Wilson, ARC’s adoption counselor, told The Dodo. “But she did have love for sure from both the handlers and all of the volunteers.”

In Bean’s eyes, life at the shelter was already great. But every time she watched one of her friends walk out for good with a brand-new family, she wondered if it could get even better.

ARC’s staff hoped that Bean would find the perfect home one day, but they knew that it would be a long and possibly painstaking process. Bean was a shy girl, and it usually took a lot for her to open up.

Luckily, nearly a decade after her arrival, the right person came along. The man, named Larry, fell instantly in love with Bean and submitted an application to adopt her.

Bean’s friends at ARC were ecstatic to know that someone was interested in her, but they worried about the time it would take for her to trust Larry.

“Bean wasn’t going to be a ‘come in, meet the dog and take her home’ kind of situation. She was going to be a dog who someone would have to come back over time to get to know her,” Wilson said. “I explained this all to Larry, and he said, ‘Whatever it takes.’”

Larry visited every day for more than four weeks, slowly earning Bean’s trust.

“He’d sit outside of her kennel and give her treats over time,” Wilson said. “Eventually, he walked with Bean and our dog handler.”

With Bean and Larry walking side by side for the first time, the sweet girl was finally getting the happily-ever-after she deserved.

ARC’s staff couldn’t be happier for Bean, but the day she said goodbye left them all in a puddle of tears.

“The handlers here absolutely love every single dog,” Wilson said. “I’ve watched them cry when dogs go home — partially tears of joy, partially tears of sadness. There were many of those shed the day that Bean left.”

Her departure may have been emotional for the people who took care of her, but Bean was overjoyed.

Since her adoption, ARC’s received a handful of updates — all confirming that this was, in fact, the match made in heaven they hoped it would be.

Now, Bean’s living the life of an only dog in a loving household. She’s the center of attention, and she’s soaking up every minute of it.

“She seems to be very happy and doing very well,” Wilson said. “She almost looks like she has a smile on her face in all her pictures.”