In January 2015, a young Sharpei mix was found stranded at a train station in Scotland. He was completely alone — except for a suitcase containing a pillow, a toy, food, and a bowl.  The dog, who became known as Kai, was in desperate need of an eye operation.

The photos of Kai alone at the station went viral, sending animal lovers everywhere into a frenzy across the world. Abandoning animals is a federal offense under Scotland’s Animal Health and Protection Act of 2006. Anyone found guilty is forbidden from owning other animals.

The Scottish SPCA scanned Kai’s microchip which led them to a previous owner who claimed he sold Kai back in 2013. No one could identify his new owner and it became a puzzling mystery.

Months after the story broke, The Daily Record spoke to the person who left Kai at the station. It was a mother who said Kai had been advertised for sale online. She said when she arrived to make the purchase, she saw a different dog than what she’d seen in the photos. She claimed the seller tore off in his car before she could speak with him more, then panicked because she had to make the last train home with her daughter, who suffers from asthma. The woman claimed she did nothing wrong by leaving the lonely dog behind, despite his suitcase of supplies.

The mystery behind Kai’s abandonment was solved, but even more important was finding Kai a forever home with someone who would never leave him again.

Hundreds of people came forward to adopt Kai, but one hopeful owner stood out from the other applicants.