There was once a time that this dear dog named Bruno must have felt as though he was on the tragic final chapter of a sad life story. While only a pup, at 1 year old, his future seemed fated to be bleak.

“Bruno used to live chained up outside,” his rescuers from the SPCA of Wake County, North Carolina, wrote. “And his ear was torn off when another dog attacked him and he couldn’t run away.”

But what seemed like the end for Bruno was, in fact, only the beginning of a far happier tale.

Despite baring outward scars from his upbringing of abuse and neglect, Bruno’s spirit proved far more resilient than anyone expected.

To some, Bruno might have been “broken.” But his heart remained full of hopefulness and love.

To ease Bruno’s spirits as he settled in for an indefinite stay at the shelter, his caretakers gifted him a friend with which to pass the time — a plush dog doll. The pair became inseparable.

Suddenly, Bruno was no longer alone in circumstance. Though he soon saw to it that he wasn’t alone in form.

“Bruno tore one of the ears off his favorite stuffed toy — the same ear he’s missing himself,” the shelter wrote. “The staff member who found this couldn’t believe it …”

It was as if to show that his cherished toy was still lovable despite that “imperfection,” and perhaps someone would view him just the same.

“Bruno knows there’s nothing wrong with him, and now he has a best friend just like him to prove it,” the shelter wrote.

If Bruno was indeed hoping to send a message with that relatable modification to his favorite toy, one thing is for sure — that message was received.

After the SPCA of Wake County posted about Bruno and his single-eared companion, word began to spread.

And before too long, there came the news that everyone was hoping for. He’d finally found a home.

“[J]ust like that, Bruno has a new dad!!! Of course, his matching stuffie HAS to go with him so they can be buds forever,” the shelter wrote in an update. “Bruno’s adopter loves him just the way he is and promised to show Bruno nothing but unconditional love for the rest of his life.”

The sadness and trauma of Bruno’s past can never be erased, of course, but it now stands as a mere prologue to a whole new life story of happiness and love.