Rebecca Aizin is an Editorial Intern at PEOPLE. She assists on all verticals but has particular interest in entertainment and lifestyle. Previously, she has worked at HGTV Magazine where she assisted in compiling the print issues and at Backstage. She attends Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

Dogs may be man's best friend, but one North Carolina dog made his own buddy out of a stuffed animal that now looks just like him.

Bruno, a one-eared pit bull from Raleigh, N.C., tugged off the left ear of his "favorite" stuffed toy — a plush dog with floppy brown ears. By chance, or perhaps, by choice, Burno removed the same ear from the toy that he has missing, FOX10 Phoenix reported. The SPCA of Wake County posted photos of Bruno with his new "best friend" to their Facebook, sharing more of the rescue dog's story.

"Bruno used to live chained up outside, and his ear was torn off when another dog attacked him, and he couldn't run away," the shelter wrote in the post. "But Bruno knows there's nothing wrong with him, and now he has a best friend just like him to prove it."

The SPCA told FOX10 that Bruno "came from a difficult situation" where he was tied up outside the entire year, through "freezing winters" and "hot N.C. summers," and couldn't escape from whatever bothered or hurt him.

The shelter added that Bruno is kind and sweet, despite his troubling history.

"You would never know he had such a tough start to life — despite his pouty eyes, he's a very happy and loving guy, and his tail absolutely never stops wagging!" SPCA workers told FOX10. "He's well-behaved, cuddly, and very smart."

They continued, "Despite being attacked, he still likes other dogs, and he loves every person he meets. He's got a big heart and a forgiving soul."

Bruno editing his stuffed animal to look like him is one example of the canine's cute personality.

The SPCA of Wake County discovered Bruno with his matching toy when a staff member went to check on the dog one day at the shelter and noticed something different about Bruno's plush. Observing that the same ear the dog has missing was torn off the toy, the worker snapped some photos to post to social media — which ultimately changed Bruno's life.

The Facebook post of Burno and his plush pal has been shared nearly 50,000 times so far, which helped the pit bull find his adopter. Many people commented on the post expressing interest in adopting the sweet pup, so much so that Bruno "maxed out" on his pending adoption applications and ultimately found his forever family a few days after the shelter's Feb. 3 post, according to FOX10.

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Unfortunately, Bruno was recently diagnosed with heartworm. He will stay at the SPCA for treatment — covered by donations from his doting fans — until he is healthier. After his recovery, Bruno will officially move into his forever home.

"He'll be in a foster period for the next couple of months while we provide that lifesaving heartworm treatment, but once his treatment is complete, his adoption will be official," the shelter said.

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