When Archie, a tabby, arrived at Mid Hudson Animal Aid as a kitten 13 years ago, no one could have ever guessed just how much time the cat would spend at the no-kill shelter. Finally, thanks to the power of social media, Archie has found himself a new home after 13 years.

During his time at Mid Hudson Animal Aid in New York, Archie befriended many other cats and helped to socialize kittens. However, he was frequently passed over by potential adoptive families because of his fear of humans. Archie is feral and his fear made it difficult for him to interact with or connect with an adopter.

Jennifer Blakeslee, a Mid Hudson Animal Aid volunteer, adopted Eddie, a Siamese cat who was one of Archie’s close friends. Blakeslee learned about Archie’s predicament and observed how lonely the cat seemed once Eddie had left. Lucky for Archie, Blakeslee took things into her own hands. She wrote a letter to Santa from Eddie’s perspective, then posted it to Instagram along with a photo of Archie and Eddie together. The letter reads:

“Dear Santa, I’d like you to meet Archie. He was my best friend when i was at the shelter that saved my life …He’s been at the shelter for THIRTEEN YEARS, ever since he was a kitten. That’s a human’s entire time in school, plus kindergarten. He’s very shy, but he’s also very sweet and gets along with other cats. And he really, really, really, really wants to find his forever home. And that’s what I want for Christmas, Santa.”

The photo and letter went viral. Jennifer Baird of Chicago was one of the many people to see the post, and despite the distance separating them, Baird reached out and offered to adopt Archie. Baird has rescued 14 cats and has an understanding of feral cats which would allow her to appropriately care for Archie. The only issue left to sort out was how to transport Archie to Chicago.

People volunteered to drive Charlie in a relay system to help him make the two-day trip. Blakeslee created a YouCaring campaign to help raise the $750 cost of transportation, and the campaign reached its goal within an hour. Archie’s trip began on April 3rd and he is now at home with Baird. Archie is getting acquainted with Baird’s other cats and is beginning to relax in his new home.

Archie’s story is a testament to the power of social media. Thanks to the internet and some generous volunteers, Archie finally has a home.