The now 9-year-old Pit Bull mix arrived at the Animal Charity of Ohio shelter in 2018 after being taken in as an abuse case. At the time, staff hoped his stay would be temporary. Instead, the years passed, and Onyx remained in the same kennel while other dogs came and went.
By the time he reached nearly seven years at the shelter, Onyx had become one of its longest residents. Staff and volunteers knew him well. He was described as a happy and affectionate dog who loved attention, even if shelter life was not easy for him.
Taylor Gordon, a photographer who worked closely with Animal Charity of Ohio, began sharing Onyx’s story online in hopes of finding him a home. In a Facebook post from March, Gordon highlighted how long he had been waiting.
“Our loving boy has been here for over 6.5 years, over 2,435 days,” Gordon wrote. “Please consider adopting Onyx, he would love to have a life outside of this room.”
The posts eventually reached Sir Yacht, a content creator and musician whose real name is Joey Kinsley. With a large following on social media, Sir Yacht began posting videos of Onyx and encouraging people to share his story. The attention brought renewed hope to the shelter staff who had spent years caring for him.
After months of continued exposure, the right family finally came forward. A family from Northeast Ohio visited the shelter after seeing the posts about Onyx and quickly realized he was the dog they had been looking for.
On Dec. 24, Sir Yacht shared the news that Onyx had been adopted.
“The textbook definition of a Christmas miracle,” he wrote. “Thanks to anyone who shared or supported Onyx in any way. Because of you, Onyx is getting a forever home. Never give up ❤️.”
A few days later, Animal Charity of Ohio shared a video of Onyx leaving the shelter for the final time. Staff lined the hallway as he walked out, marking the end of his long stay.
“After 7 years patiently waiting for his forever home, Onyx finally left the shelter today,” the shelter wrote. “It was a bittersweet send-off as we will miss his excited bark and ‘bull in the china shop’ size personality, but we couldn’t be happier for him. He’ll finally get to know what a true family feels like.”
According to WKBN, Onyx had several potential adopters over the years but never found the right match until now. Shelter staff said the new family was a perfect fit.
“He is a staff and volunteer favorite, and everybody here loves him,” Animal Charity of Ohio board president Jenny Falvey told WKBN. “We’ve spent lots of time with him and always hoped to find him that special home.”
While the adoptive family has chosen to remain private, they shared an update after bringing Onyx home.
“He is doing extremely well!! He’s really surprised me,” the adopter wrote. “I thought there would be more adjustment or little issues being in a home, but he’s just chill and calm. He’s a happy, sweet boy!”
Gordon later thanked Sir Yacht for helping bring attention to Onyx’s story.
“Sir Yacht made such a huge difference for Onyx and for the organization,” she wrote. “He never gave up on Onyx.”