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20. Shelter Dogs
It’s every dog owner’s worst fear that when they die, no one will look after their beloved pup like they did. For some extremely unlucky dogs, that’s exactly what happens. For the unfortunate few who end up at shelters, life becomes a lot harder and much more lonely…
19. Julep
As Julep lay in the shelter bed, she couldn’t comprehend what she did wrong, and where her owner was. She had been the perfect pooch for nearly 18 years before the two were torn apart by deaths untimely knock. The chances of Julep being adopted were slim, as many people only search for puppies. That is until a man on a motorbike showed up like a knight in shining armour…
18. Humane Rescue Alliance
Last February was when Julep entered the shelter because her owner tragically passed away. She ended up at the Humane Rescue Alliance, a shelter in Washington DC. Although it’s terrible she ended up there and not in the comfort of a familiar relative, she ended up at a really nice place which has 100 years experience caring for homeless pets.
17. Fitting In
Julep was the oldest dog at the facility, but David M. Smith, who is head of the communications department told People she was doing surprisingly well, “Julep is a sweet girl, who – given her age – is doing pretty well here at our adoption facility”. Even though she was doing well, the caretakers knew she needed a place to call home,“We’re keeping her spirits up, and she’s getting lots of attention from our staff. But a dog at this age truly needs to be at home where she can get ALL of the attention”.
16. A Lust For Life
Although Julep is old, she still had a young personality and it was clear she loved life. All she needed was a fresh start and, according to an appeal on the facilities Facebook page,“ just a couch to sleep on and a human to love”. It wasn’t long before someone heard their plea…
15. Julep Went Viral
Juleps sad story captivated anyone who came across her story, and more than 4,000 people shared their plea to help her find a new home via social media. However, many people are wary of adopting senior dogs because of the short time they’ll have together. The shelter told The Dodo,“So, whenever we get a senior dog, it does take them a little while for them to get adopted”.
14. Wayne Lerch
Local DC resident Wayne Lerch had been experiencing grief of his own, due to his beloved pit bull passing a couple weeks prior. The two had been together for almost 11 years and Lerch found himself saddened and lonely,“I had Jasmine for about ten-and-a-half years. She was just such an amazing dog”.
13. Jasmine
Wayne was a dog owner all his life but he found the loss of Jasmine to be particularly hard,“A 60-pound pit bull that thought she was a lapdog. She was probably the hardest dog for me to lose”. As you can see here, Jasmine was one sweet girl.
12. A New Lady In His Life
When Lerch came across the Facebook post he knew he had to meet Julep. He arranged a meeting the very next day, and everyone’s nerves were tingling, hoping the meeting would end in adoption. However, he wasn’t sure if he could emotionally handle another dog so soon after Jasmine’s death…
11. The Ride Over
As he rode over on his motorcycle, he contemplated whether or not he was going to be able to handle it. Reminiscing on the good times with Jasmine, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed, so he told himself not to make any rash decisions; But when he got there…
10. Love At First Sight
When Wayne got there he knew that it was love at first sight! Julep was so sweet it was impossible for him not to take her home, so he went and got his car for easy transportation. Julep howled with joy the moment she met Wayne.
9. Despite The Odds
Despite the odds against her, Julep was adopted within one month of arriving, something that rarely ever happens. Although the caretakers were sad to see her go because she touched so many hearts, they were so excited for her to get the new start she deserved. The two were about to start an adventure together.
8. The Adoption
A spokesperson for the Human Rescue Alliance told Today,“There wasn’t a dry eye in the room” on the day of Juleps adoption. It can be hard working in a such a place, seeing dogs without homes, but the workers say they try not to get too emotional,“We see a lot of happy endings and try not to get too emotional. But the combination of her age and Wayne’s obvious adoration for his new ‘old lady’ left us in tears”.
7. Tootie
Lerch took Julep home and decided to honor his grandmother by renaming her Tootie. He said she loves to take long walks, eat snacks, and of course take long naps. The two are living happily together and it quickly felt like they were longtime friends.
6. Helping Him Cope
Wayne didn’t just save Tootie, but Tootie saved Wayne. He told WUSA,“I thoroughly believe that the right dog shows up at the right time”, explaining how Tootie has helped him cope with Jasmine’s death. It’s almost as if it was fate for the two to end up together.
5. He Knew Right Away
4. A Realist Yet An Idealist
Wayne told WUSA just how determined he is, “I know she’s not going to be around for very long, but that’s okay. She deserves to live out the rest of her life in a loving home with somebody who’s going to take care of her and pamper her and make sure that she enjoys the last bit of life she has”. It couldn’t have worked out better for Tootie…
3. Plenty Of Other Dogs
It’s so fantastic that Tootie got the end she so badly deserved, a happy home that’s full of love. But for many other dogs, their reality is not so sweet. It’s too often that older dogs get placed into shelters and simply ignored because of their age. Destined to die alone…
2. Help Make A Change
There are so many reasons to love senior dogs like they’re way less rambunctious than puppies, thus require less maintenance. They also love to nap and snuggle most of the time, making a wonderful housemate. Williams, the representative from Humane Rescue Alliance, told the Dodo some of the benefits of having an older dog, “They are out of their puppy stage for sure, and they’re not going to chew on things. They’re probably not going to need as much exercise and aren’t going to be as rambunctious”.
1. Do Your Part
So the next time you’re interested in adopting a dog or cat, check out your local shelters for older pets who need a second chance. Most shelters do their part to train and assess their animals to ensure the right home for them, and the right pet for you.
Brittany
Silvia
