A man was reunited with his dog after almost four months of separation. The owner was separated from his dog after an explosion in Baltimore destroyed his home and left him badly burned, a local animal shelter shared.

BARCS Animal Shelter shared the story of Barak and his owner in a Facebook post. “It was by a miracle that they narrowly survived the disaster, which resulted in other fatalities,” the shelter said, “Barak was transferred to BARCS and his dad to shock trauma where he was put into an induced coma for life-threatening burns.”

Doctors and medical carers shared that Barak’s dad was eager to have him back. There were multiple logistical challenges while Barak’s owner was receiving necessary medical care. Namely, where would Barak live?

“A few days after Barak arrived at our shelter, we learned that his dad’s expected time in the hospital was at least a month,” the shelter said. “Up until recently, guaranteeing a month-long hold or longer — even for an emergency — wasn’t always easy or even possible. BARCS is an open admission shelter and the looming threat of running out of kennel space has always plagued our organization.”

Barak’s dad needed to secure a dog-friendly place to live after their home was destroyed. BARCS pledged to care for Barak until that was a reality, “Barak wasn’t a candidate for foster, but at the shelter, he had a daily plan of long walks, playgroup romps, in-kennel enrichment, training sessions, and cuddle time thanks to our dedicated volunteers and staff.”

Barak’s owner managed to find a dog-friendly home and was reunited with Barak in a tearful, emotional reunion the shelter said, “He hugged and kissed his very best buddy, with all those around him watching in tears. Keeping this family together was worth the resources and worth the wait.”