Senior Rescue Dog Teaches Families About Adoption in Children's Book After Owner Found Him Living in Hotel Lobby

A Pomeranian named Charlie, now 18, was living at a Palm Springs hotel when his owner adopted him in 2016

A new book teaches kids about adoption through the experience of a 10-year-old dog who was living at a California hotel before he found his forever home in 2016.

Charlie the Pomeranian, now 18, was at a hotel in Palm Springs, Calif. when his owner Lara Eurdolian King met him while on vacation, she told Good Morning America in an interview. The dog lived in the hotel lobby through a pet adoption program that allowed one dog at a time to live at the hotel until they found a forever home and a new dog moved in, the host and entrepreneur explained.

King took a liking to Charlie and began walking him every day to get to know him — his situation made her sad because older dogs have a harder time getting rescued. She eventually fell in love with him.

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"To be honest, my heart kind of just broke when I saw him living there ... he was the longest-running dog in the program," King said. "He didn't look quite as fluffy and healthy as he does today at 18, but I knew we could fix that or at least give him a very comfortable, loving life."

Eight years later, Charlie's fur is looking as full as his life and he has taken on a new role as the muse for King's new book, Charlie at the Pom Springs Hotel.

Related: 'Pink' Rescue Dog Piglet Shares Story of Hope, Perseverance in New Book: 'It's About Finding Joy,' Says Owner

The book tells Charlie's real-life story of how he was a de facto tour guide at the hotel who made friends with other animals on the property (like turtles, swans, ducks and bunnies) but longed for a forever home.

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King said that in the book, Charlie is "happy" but feels that his family is missing.

"Spoiler alert, he gets his wish," King told GMA, adding that the book is meant to teach all kinds of families, including kids who are adopted and parents looking to teach their kids about the concept, that adoption is "a happy way" to find a forever family.

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