Bela the Dog has received the best present an abandoned pooch could wish for during the festive season. Namely, the 9-year-old German Shepherd’s fate was unknown after his owner passed away in November.  Indiana resident Connie Ley stated in her will that Bela could either be euthanized and cremated or sent to Best Friends’ sanctuary which is the home to more than 1,500 dogs, cats, bunnies and other animals.

Naturally, the public supported the no-kill option, but no one was certain what would happen to Bela in the end. In addition, the animal sanctuary had never heard of Bela until the pup began appearing in news reports. The shelter called Ley’s lawyer and executor, but there was no guarantee that the pooch would end up with them.

After a few long weeks, Best Friends announced that Bela would be joining them in Utah to enjoy ‘a warm, happy holiday with lots of treats, toys and love.’ Best Friends spokesman Eric Rayvid told The Huffington Post that people need to plan what will happen to their pets if the animals outlive them.

“Preparation is the key, but here’s the important part: Folks need to talk to the orgs if they’re looking to send pets to them. Most run at capacity and might not be able to take in a pet that they get surprised with like we did Bela.”

When Bela arrived at the Best Friends Animals Society’s no-kill sanctuary, many people gathered to greet the lucky pup. Best Friends CEO Gregory Castle welcomed Bela to the shelter and said they would ensure that he has the best life possible at the shelter.

“It’s wonderful to be able to welcome Bela here. It speaks to our principle of valuing all animal life. In this case, there was potential for something terrible to happen, but we are set up to give him a great life and all indications are that he is a beautiful and wonderful dog.”