It’s always heart breaking when a beloved pet passes away, yet it’s even more poignant when one perishes without having found its forever home.

Such is the case with Ralph, who had been living at Noah’s Ark Dog Sanctuary for the past 11 years. Volunteers at the sanctuary shared a public Facebook post in tribute to the good natured dog: “We love all our dogs, but some hold a very special place in our hearts that is absolutely devastating for us when they go,” it reads.

The post continues by highlighting why Ralph was so loved by all the volunteers: “Ralph was about 5 years old when he was admitted to the sanctuary 11 years ago. He quickly became a great favourite because he was so good natured, always up to something with his kennel mates, a complete pic who could be easily lured with threats 😊 … Due to his gentle nature he was great with kids, loved his walks and was just so chilled! He loved swimming and once we got him into the water it was hard to get him out of it!” volunteers wrote.

The post also expressed volunteers’ collective sadness at him never finding a home and emphasized the importance of adopting rather than shopping for pets: “His passing affected many of us in so many ways; we were incredibly attached to him. We also thought it such a shame that such an amazing dog never found his forever home.”

Their tribute concluded with a heartfelt message: “Ralph is a true symbol of why we do what we do on a daily basis, shower our dogs with love and affection and do our best to give them the best possible life that they can have within the confines of a sanctuary…Ralph we will miss you deeply!” The post finished off with a beautiful quote: “Everyone is taught that angels have wings but the lucky ones of us find they have 4 paws.”

RIP Ralph!