FRANKLIN, Va. — Some call him a hero, others call him a good boy.
You might remember the story about Moose, the Great Pyrenees. He recently went up for adoption after saving his temporary, foster family from a boat fire.
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The good news—he finally has forever home.
For the last few days, Moose has been hanging out and exploring his new home in Franklin. There's a ton of space—nearly five acres—and many new smells to sniff.
Ciara Lucas recently adopted Moose from the Portsmouth Humane Society. She had been following News 3's story about him.
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"We saw that he had been returned, and I was talking to my husband," Lucas said. "I told him Moose got returned and he was like 'well, go get him."
She said Moose had generated a lot of interest and attention. She was lucky he was still available.
"I was talking to another lady and she was like 'oh, he is a celebrity,'" Lucas said. "Then I got home and was like 'oh wow, he is!'"
So, Lucas brought him home, which had quite a few animals already, including dogs, cats, chicken, goats and even a tortoise.
"They're welcoming him in, he seems to be pretty comfortable," Lucas said. "It takes time."
Lucas realizes there will be challenges along the way, but they will not get in the way of her love for Moose.
"He doesn't like when the other dogs are near him while he's actively trying to eat," Lucas said. "Understandable. It's a territory thing."
It is why Dyanna Uchiek, the executive director of the Portsmouth Human Society, said it is important to take as much time as possible to make sure any pet you add to your family is a perfect fit.
"This is a commitment that lasts a long time. And we know that people want to keep their pets for the duration of their lives, but we also know that’s not the reality for everyone," Uchiek said in a previous interview with News 3. "Checking the boxes and making sure the pet you’re bringing home is a good fit, means that you won’t be devastated, your family won’t be devastated.”
She said the goal is to work with people and make sure they find the right pet.
"We’re not interested in villainizing people who took a dog home and were like, 'Woah, I don’t want a dog after all. I don’t want a cat,'" Uchiek said. "We want to work with people and make sure everyone finds the right fit."
Lucas said Moose has had no trouble adapting.
"When we got here, all of [the other animals] were really good and accepting of him, and it seemed like he was pretty cool and laid back with it," she said. "He laid out on my back deck, laid out in front of the pool and just made himself at home."
For Moose, the end of this tale is a new beginning.
"He's here to stay," Lucas said.
