Dog Abandoned at San Francisco Airport Finds Forever Home With United Airlines Pilot

courtesy united

A puppy abandoned at a California airport has found a new home with an airline pilot.

According to the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), an international traveler "chose to continue traveling without his animal" upon arrival at the city's airport in August.

A pilot working for United Airlines, William Dale, was chosen out of a number of applicants to take the 6-month-old German Shepherd in, as the airline "worked to ensure the puppy completed necessary requirements to enter the United States, including a quarantine period," the nonprofit noted in a news release.

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"From the moment Polaris landed in our care, our entire SFO United team cared for him 24/7 until we were able to get permission to keep him safely in the U.S.," Vincent Passafiume, Director of Customer Service at United, told the organization, confirmed to PEOPLE by the airline. "It's a great feeling to see this story come full circle and that Polaris will have a loving home with United Airlines Captain Dale and his family — just in time for the holidays."

courtesy united

In addition to hosting a festive party at the airport on Dec. 15 in Polaris's honor when the adoption cleared, United followed up with a $5,000 donation to the SF SPCA.

"United's Customer Service team took on quite a challenge to ensure Polaris would be safe, healthy, and find a loving home," Lisa Feder, SF SPCA chief of rescue and welfare shared.

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"I only hope that we can do half as good a job of taking care of him as the United staff did," Capt. Dale shared of his family taking in the pup. "More than one employee said to me, 'You better take good care of him ... or else.' There was even a wag of a finger," he added, according to multiple outlets.