For one Australian soldier, surrendering a family pet over to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was a difficult decision. The dog, named Prinny, belonged to the soldier’s mother, who recently passed away. The man was getting ready for a deployment to Iraq, and knew he wouldn’t be able to take care of the 12-year old dog.

In the soldier’s surrender paperwork, he explained his situation and called Prinny a “beautiful girl.” The man knew it was unlikely that someone would adopt Prinny, but he had no other choice.

For some time, the RSCPA attempted to find Prinny a new home. But given her age, no adoptive families came forward to claim the girl as their own. That’s when Rescued With Love, an animal welfare group located in Melbourne, Australia stepped in to help. They took Prinny under their wings and worked to find a family for the sweet, senior dog.

On Facebook, Kae Norman, the founder of Rescued With Love, penned a touching letter to the soldier who surrendered Prinny in hopes that he would see it and understand that his mother’s dog was being showered with love.

The letter starts:

“Dear Soldier, you don’t know me, but I know of you. I know you were heading to Darwin and then being deployed to Iraq. You are probably going through more than what anyone can ever imagine – and I wanted to ease your mind by letting you know your Mum’s dog Prinny is safe and happy with us at Rescued With Love. 

“I know your Mum passed away and I am so sorry for your loss. Losing parents is hell, and to have to give up Prinny and surrender her to the RSPCA because you had no option would have been an unbearable burden.”

But after hearing about Prinny’s story, another veteran named Brendan reached out to the rescue group saying that he wanted to provide the dog with a new forever home.

The letter continues:

“Prinny was adopted before she even came to us, because her foster Dad Brendan is a Veteran. 

He heard about Prinny’s predicament – and wanted to step up regardless. I asked he and his wife to just wait and foster her – but it seems I didn’t need to be cautious at all. Prinny has fallen in love with her Dad, and he with her, and they are now inseparable, and very, very loved. 

“I don’t know where you are, or how to find you to tell you Prinny is safe. Maybe this will find you. All I know is my throat ached when I read your writing on that form when you handed her over – and I [had] to let you know she is safe, and very happy. Stay safe soldier.”

While Norman wrote the letter not expecting to find the soldier that surrendered Prinny, the Internet works in mysterious ways. According to the rescue group’s Facebook page, the organization did make contact with the soldier named Marc, and he will be in touch with Prinny’s newly adopted family when he returns to the country so that he can check in with her and see her new home.

It is truly uplifting to see a rescue organization step in with so much heart and find this sweet dog a new home. Now the soldier can rest easy knowing that his mother’s dog is safe and loved by a new family.