The bond between a dog and his or her owner is a special one that is hard to replace, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when a person passes away and leaves their beloved pet behind.

When a dog is left without their owner, there are usually uncertainties about who will adopt him or her. Sometimes, the family is unable to take in a new pet for a variety of reasons — no matter how much their late family member loved the animal.

That might have been the fate of one pit bull named Leo — but Katie Newhouser intervened.

Katie, a UPS driver in California, bonded with Leo in 2016. The pit bull would greet her happily whenever Katie stopped at his owner Tina’s house to deliver a package.

Katie told InsideEdition.com that Leo would even hop into her truck when she parked at Tina’s condo.

Sadly, Tina passed away unexpectedly while her son Cannon was away, leaving Leo without a home. Not wanting the family to be burdened with the responsibility of an energetic pit bull while they were grieving, Katie volunteered to take care of Leo until Cannon returned.

But what was meant to be a temporary arrangement became a permanent one after Tina’s relatives saw how much Leo had bonded with Katie’s other five dogs and how happy he was with her. As of July 2017, Katie reports that Leo is an official member of the family.

Leo may have joined Katie’s family under sad circumstances, but it’s so amazing to see how well he’s adjusted after the death of his beloved mom.