What if you got old and nobody wanted you? That's the question posed by Judith Flatley, who adopted eight-year-old Queenie, a Pekingese whose previous parent had a stroke and could no longer care for her. The woman turned her five dogs over to Adopt-Aluv Small Breed Rescue in Mentor, OH, before going into an assisted-living facility.
Judith had already adopted one dog from Adopt-Aluv through Petfinder, and when the five dogs arrived, the rescue person called Judith to see if she could take on another. "I hesitated," Judith says, "because our other adopted Peke was such an Alpha that I wasn't sure it would work out. Now I'm sorry I hesitated even long enough to discuss it with my husband. Queenie is the sweetest dog imaginable."
Queenie had never been around men and was somewhat mystified by Mr.
Flatley, but "it didn't take her long to wrap him around her little
paw," says Judith. "She figured out what a pushover he is and now
cuddles away most of the afternoon in his recliner."
Queenie came to the Flatleys in good health and already housetrained. "She's bright, fun to be with, cute and fit right in," Judith says. "To anyone who is hesitant about taking an older dog, don't wait. The love you get will more than repay your kindness."
Judith believes there is a special place in heaven for people who run rescue groups and that you get in front of the line for taking an older dog or cat. "Part of that heaven," she says, "is right here on earth."
Previous Happy Tails:
Two dogs - one with mange, one abused - come home
Saving a starved and scarred Pit Bull
An abandoned cat comes in from the cold
A puppy-mill Chihuahua learns to live outside a cage
Sacrificing to save an abused, overlooked pit bull
A sick, abandoned puppy's incredible before & after pics
Someone sees beauty under the scars
A 'wild' Chinese Crested puppy comes home
A dad with Alzheimer's gets a 'miracle dog'
The rock-star cat who looks like a polar bear
A senior Dalmatian loses weight, gains new life
Lovebirds go from hoarder to happy home
A former bait dog finds safety and love
A perfect match is worth waiting for
A deformed kitten gets a happy ending
The victim of a cruel prank finds happiness
A rescued Border Collie mends a broken heart
Queenie came to the Flatleys in good health and already housetrained. "She's bright, fun to be with, cute and fit right in," Judith says. "To anyone who is hesitant about taking an older dog, don't wait. The love you get will more than repay your kindness."
Judith believes there is a special place in heaven for people who run rescue groups and that you get in front of the line for taking an older dog or cat. "Part of that heaven," she says, "is right here on earth."
Previous Happy Tails:
Two dogs - one with mange, one abused - come home
Saving a starved and scarred Pit Bull
An abandoned cat comes in from the cold
A puppy-mill Chihuahua learns to live outside a cage
Sacrificing to save an abused, overlooked pit bull
A sick, abandoned puppy's incredible before & after pics
Someone sees beauty under the scars
A 'wild' Chinese Crested puppy comes home
A dad with Alzheimer's gets a 'miracle dog'
The rock-star cat who looks like a polar bear
A senior Dalmatian loses weight, gains new life
Lovebirds go from hoarder to happy home
A former bait dog finds safety and love
A perfect match is worth waiting for
A deformed kitten gets a happy ending
The victim of a cruel prank finds happiness
A rescued Border Collie mends a broken heart
I found a story you might be interested in at
http://www.newszap.com/lifetype/post/8/100
would like to have a dog like queenie
A senior dog can be a great choice for someone who's less energetic, and not quite willing to put up with all the effort a puppy requires (me, for example). There are some real advantages and disadvantages of adopting a senior dog.
Older dogs do have some great advantages! Most often, they're through the stage where they pee on your floor and chew your shoes. They can also bond very deeply with you.
Queenie is so cute. I love this story because usually people want to adopt puppies and not older dogs. Older dogs are very friendly and usually house trained. They make great companians with people and animals too. Good luck to the adopters!