4-Year-Old Dog Finds Forever Home After Being Abandoned with a Heartbreaking Note Before the Holidays

A young dog is making a fresh start ahead of the new year.

Armando — a 4-year-old Labrador retriever mix — has found his forever home after being abandoned with a note in Arizona earlier this month.

On Dec. 15, Arizona Humane Society (AHS) employees found the canine "tied up" in the parking lot of the shelter’s Sunnyslope Campus parking lot, according to a press release from the organization shared with PEOPLE.

There, the note attached to Amando began, "It is with a heavy heart that we had to result to this, but due to unforeseen circumstances, we had no choice. This is Armando (Mando)."

"He has had his shots but might need them soon. He’s very friendly with dogs and people. He is prone to ear infections. We pray he finds a good home. God bless," the note continued, per the AHS.

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Related: Fla. Rescue Helping Two Dogs Abandoned on the Roadside with a Note: 'So Sorry But Ran Out of Time'

After he was found, Armando received treatment for an ear infection in the AHS' trauma hospital, the press release said. He was later "found to be otherwise healthy."

"Understandably, this sweet pup can be a bit nervous at first, but quickly warms up with pets (and treats) and loves getting attention from his human friends," the AHS wrote in a statement.

Now, Armando has found a home, the AHS tells PEOPLE. "He has been playing nonstop with his new dog sister, and she has even been sharing 'her couch' with him in between playing tug of war in the backyard," a representative for the organization says.

The rep adds that Armando's "new family said it’s like he has been living with them since forever."

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According to AHS, the organization has "cared for more than 22,000 sick, injured and abused pets in 2024, the most in a decade."

"With population growth, rising home prices, evictions and a shortage of affordable pet care, more pet owners in our community have been faced with the often gut-wrenching decision to rehome a pet," the AHS continued. "Because shelters are full, healthy pets needing to be rehomed due to a change in housing or loss of a job have no place to go, which has led to an increase in pet abandonments."

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