“We are glad that everything happened the way it did, because it led to his forever after” ❤️

Napoleon, a dog, was a familiar sight in Houston, Texas, where he roamed the streets near a gas station parking lot. The 3-year-old pit bull mix survived on Good Samaritan scraps and lacked a permanent home.

When shelter rescuers received a call about this forlorn and hungry puppy, they realised they had to step in.

When rescuers found Napoleon, they hurried him to an emergency vet facility, where he was diagnosed with a diaphragmatic hernia, which means his organs had pushed up into his chest. He needed rapid surgery if he was to survive.

Napoleon’s health problems were more complicated than anticipated at the time of his five-hour surgery, so the hospital couldn’t guarantee he’d recover.

“They suggested it may have happened gradually over time,” Laura Forma, cofounder of This Is Houston, told The Dodo. “One of the surgeons claimed it was one of the worst cases of diaphragmatic hernia he’d ever seen.”

As dawn approached, physicians became concerned that Napoleon had been sedated for too long. Nonetheless, they persisted, and Napoleon came out on top.

“He recovered well,” Forma stated. “Throughout, he maintained a positive attitude. A genuine miracle.”

This Is Houston made Napoleon available for adoption while he was healing in a foster home.

“He did meet a family who fell in love with him,” Forma recalled, “but Napoleon was pretty devoted to his foster mom, and it showed during their meet and greet.” “As a result, they chose not to proceed.”

Napoleon spent another 315 days before anyone showed interest in his rescue, bringing his total stay to 328 days.

Everything changed then.

“We’ve been following his journey since the beginning,” Napoleon’s adoptive mother, Tina Kempken, told us. “I remember seeing his story and thinking, ‘If he’s still around in a few months when we buy a house with a yard, we’ve got to get him,’” says one.

“We went to his foster mom’s house and fell in love with his adorable face right away,” Kempken added. “Since bringing him home, we’ve discovered that he enjoys romping in the yard and snuggling.” He forgets he weighs about 90 pounds.”

It took a few weeks, but he’s slowly coming out of his shell. The adorable puppy adores stuffed animals and has immediately formed a bond with Kempken’s other dog, Snoopy. But that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten everything he’s been through, which Kempken is reminded of on a daily basis.

“We know good things take time, and we’re delighted everything unfolded the way it did since it led to his happily ever after,” Kempken explained. “You’d never know Napoleon had a horrific survival story.” We can’t wait to spoil him for the rest of his life, take him on vacations, and simply enjoy life.”