A puppy dog discovered yelping along the banks of the Mississippi River has found a new home for the holidays.

The dog, now called Bailey, appears to be a blonde-colored Labrador and hound mix.

Stephen Rischar, who lives on a small farmland in Montville, Ohio, East of Cleveland, said he happened to be in doing some remote work in VIdalia, Louisiana, across the river from Natchez. Rischar was working for the hydroelectric plant in Concordia Parish on the morning of October 23.

While he was walking along the sidewalk on riverfront by his hotel, Rischar said he could hear him but could not see him at first.

“I heard whining and what sounded like a dog in distress but I couldn’t see him,” he said.

Based on the sound, Rischar said he could tell the dog was somewhere by the rocks near the river’s edge and he called the police department for help.

The dog was taken to the Vidalia Dog Pound the same morning. Immediately, Deedee Roberts shared pictures of him on social media, as she often does with any dog who is brought to the pound to see if someone will claim them.

“I told my wife (Kelly) about what had happened and she saw the pictures and fell in love,” Rischar said. “She said I had to bring him home with me.”

Bailey stayed at the pound until he could get an airplane flight to his new home in Ohio on Nov. 12, where he has cats, horses, and three border collie playmates, Rischar said.

“He is really curious and playful,” Rischar said. “I find that children and small puppies live in the land of giants. When you get down to their level, they love to play with you.”