Pondi Two, or Hyotan, as he was nicknamed, was rescued from a hoarder and first featured here in Adopt Me! last August. Since then he's been adopted by Tomomi and Soshi Eto of Kawasaki and rechristened Gigi.

Their meeting had come about largely because Tomomi had been going through difficult times and she had decided it was time to pick herself up and reach out and help a dog in need. The new member of the family had been very timid, but the adoption has been a grand success.

"We can see him realizing little by little how much we love him and he seems really happy," says Tomomi. "His wagging tail never fails to make me happy."

She adds that her husband, Soshi, "finds every little thing Gigi does adorable. He's totally besotted!"

Tomomi also likes to reflect on how the family has grown since adopting Gigi.

"I had thought that the joy of living with a timid dog would be watching him grow less timid. In fact, the joy of living with a timid dog is just that — living with him. Watching Gigi learn to trust us brings us unimaginable joy. He may not always come when he's called and sometimes he's startled when we stroke him, but we absolutely love our happy Gigi to pieces!"

If you are interested in adopting a pet, email ARK at [email protected] or call 050-1557-2763 Monday to Saturday (bilingual) for more information. Tokyo ARK is an NPO founded by Briton Elizabeth Oliver. It is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals. All animals are vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. Prospective owners are requested to undergo a screening process. Web: www.arkbark.net