Officials say that he’s become a fixture, a statue of the yard. He was waiting for his beloved master to once more pat him on the head and scratch him behind the ears.

Ricky was discovered this last week outside a boarded and dilapidated house in the outskirts of the Mojave. I hope he’s finally ready to move on.

He was rescued from his intransigent watch by the Marley’s Mutts Dog Rescue operation in Tehachapi, California. He’s such a sweet dog!

Ricky is now on the hunt for a new family. Kindred spirits who will take him in a help him come to terms with his owner’s earthly demise.

“We WILL get him adopted,” Skow, founder of Marley’s told ABC News.

H/T ABC News