NEED TO KNOW

• Rescue dog Cali was adopted after being cared for at Los Angeles’ Wags & Walks for 798 days

• The 5-year-old pooch was taken in by a new owner named Crystal, who lost another dog in September

• “It feels like she was always meant to be part of the family,” Crystal tells PEOPLE

A rescue dog has found a new home after waiting nearly 800 days to be adopted.

Cali the dog was rescued from a Los Angeles shelter in 2023. The 5-year-old pooch gave birth to 11 puppies while in care, who were all quickly adopted — leaving her with no one coming forward to take care of her, the animal nonprofit Wags & Walks shared on Instagram.

“Cali struggled to feel comfortable around new people. This made finding a home for her a little more difficult,” the organization wrote.

Cali, a bully mix, became a beloved part of the team as she remained at Wags & Walks. Eventually, after 798 days, the 5-year-old pooch was finally adopted by Crystal.

“After losing my last dog in September, I wasn’t sure when I’d be ready or if I’d be ready to welcome a new dog into my life,” Crystal told PEOPLE. “But I had started looking tentatively at some rescue and shelter sites while I figured that out. Thankfully, I happened to get sick over Thanksgiving and between naps, I was on social media and found a video about Cali.”

“I started looking through the page and kept coming back to her videos. Something about her sweet eyes just kept calling me back, so I submitted an application,” she said

Crystal described the adoption process as “absolutely meant to be” and recalled the first moment she laid eyes on Cali,  she knew she was meant for her.

“The phone call and the first meeting were just so perfect and everything about her just seemed like she should come home with me,” she told PEOPLE. “On the call, it just sounded like she needed some patience and love to thrive in a new home.”

“When I met her, she was so happy and wiggly and precious. I saw a sweet girl and couldn’t understand how she hadn’t always found a home and I felt so lucky when I was allowed to take her home,” added Crystal.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Wags & Walks shared on Instagram how Cali was a loving dog to team members, however, it was “difficult” for visitors to see those same sweet interactions when they came to the shelter.

“But we never gave up hope that there was a family out there looking for her,” the nonprofit organization wrote.

After a long wait, Wags & Walks is grateful that Cali found the right family for her.

“Because of the support of our community, we are able to give dogs like Cali the time they need to find the perfect match. This is a luxury she never would have had in a shelter due to limited resources,” the organization wrote. “We are so grateful we were able to give Cali the happy ending she deserves.”

“It feels like she was always meant to be part of the family,” added Crystal. “It’s been great seeing her settle into the house and explore on our walks and at the park.” 

Read the original article on People