A beagle named Daniel shocked vets and animal control officers when he walked out of a gas-chamber meant to euthanize him wagging his tail last month.

The perky pooch has now walked into the hearts of the Dwyer family in Nutley, N.J.

After the story of his miraculous survival spread, hundreds inquired about adopting Daniel, but it was the family of four, plus four dogs, that won the dog lottery.

Daniel — named after the Biblical character who emerged from the belly of a whale – is fitting in fine with Joe, Geralynn, Joseph and Jenna Dwyer and the other dogs. Joe Dwyer, a 50-year-old dog trainer and motivational speaker, said that the beagle has a future building awareness for animal adoptions.

But Daniel’s role as a pet comes before his work as a poster-pooch. “He certainly has a mission and I want to help him fulfill  that mission,” Dwyer said. “But the most important thing is that he has his life back and he will be a part of this family.”

In a previous interview with ABC News, Eleventh Hour Rescue president Linda Schiller said she had noticed Daniel enjoyed playing with other dogs, and she hoped to find him a home that would allow him to be social.

It seems that he has found that space with the Dwyers. He plays energetically with his new canine friends at the family’s residence, and the five dogs even curl up together for naps, Dwyer said.

The last time ABC News checked in with Daniel he was slightly underweight. But the beagle got a clean bill of health from the vet today, Dwyer said: He is in excellent spirits and eating well.

Schiller thanked the other families who had applied to adopt Daniel in an email. “Hopefully [his story] will inspire you to adopt another dog and to join Daniel and Eleventh Hour Rescue to find forever homes for our companion animals,” she wrote.