It was a young girl from Kansas who first echoed the sentiment we all know to be true, that “there’s no place like home.”

Those words hold special meaning for Coldwell Banker around the globe as it’s our calling to help others find a place to call home. Because home is where those we love reside and often wait for us to return.

For over 109 years, we’ve been opening doors for people to come home, but this year we turned our focus to helping man’s best friend too. Through our advertising efforts and the Homes for Dogs Project we sought to find homes for 20,000 adoptable dogs in 2015, because we know there is no such thing as a bad day when you come home to a dog’s love.

And you know what? We did it. Thanks to our partnership with AdoptAPet.com and the thousands of Coldwell Banker agents across the globe, we were able to hit our goal of 20,000 dogs being adopted last week.

While our focus has been on finding homes for these beloved animals, what has also happened is that these animals have changed our homes for the better.  Anyone who has ever adopted a dog can give a testimony to this. In fact we found one story of a boy and his adopted pet that not only allowed a special dog to find a place to call home, but forever changed the meaning of home and the lives of those who reside in it.  Here is the remarkable story of Owen and Haatchi.