That expression is a dog’s smile when he recognizes his home.

The rescuers who were working to find him a home after he had been neglected for far too long were moved by the smile of an adopted dog. Petey, a dog who was passed over by potential adopters and transferred from a high intake shelter in North Carolina to SPCA Wake in early October, received an update on his adoption from the SPCA of Wake County.

At just one year old, Petey had spent the longest time living in the county shelter in North Carolina. The shelter wanted to increase his chances of finding his family.

SPCA Wake posted a picture of him in the hopes that a family would see him this time. After seeing his picture, a family soon fell in love with him.

They brought him home, and then shared some adorable pictures of him cuddling and playing with his new family and furry sibling. Additionally, a picture of Petey curled up on a blanket with a huge grin on his face was uploaded.

The shelter wrote on Facebook, “That is the smile of a dog that knows he’s home.”