Facebook plea helps dog find new home

(WTXF) Chester a 6-year-old Pit Bull mix has been looking for a home for 5 years. Since 2010, he's been living in animal shelters in New York state and it seemed things were going to stay that way – until now.

After having his picture shared on social media, he's found his forever family.

The North Fork Animal Welfare League in Long Island posted a picture on Thursday that resonated with many people. It showed Chester holding a sign in his mouth

The sign said, "Why doesn't anybody want me? I've been waiting 5 years. Everyone at the shelter tells me what a good boy I am. So why has no one adopted me? I promised to be good and love my new family. Please maybe you are my new family. I sit and wait for you to come."

Since then, the picture has been shared over 6,000 times and people from all over the world have contacted the animal shelter to adopt Chester.

"It was crazy. I posted the original photo on the League's Facebook page and by later that day there were over 6000 shares," NFAWL manager Gabby Stroup said.

According to Stroup, people from Illinois to Mississippi to Nova Scotia and even Australia called, getting emotional over the phone as they did so.

Just a few days later, Chester was finally adopted by a family with 2 sons from New York, the Dors. They took Chester home on Saturday.

Chester took to the family immediately, greeting them with licks and kisses.

"We saw him and we felt connected. It was meant to be," Adi Dor said; his wife said her husband had tears in his eyes the first time he met Chester.

Their sons were also excited to meet Chester, they had been asking for a dog for a while.

The shelter intends to use its newfound attention on Facebook to help other long-term animal residents their forever families.