Fiona, a 13-year-old mixed-breed dog, spent 11 years of her life in an animal shelter.
The pet was always very well treated at the NGO where she lived, but there’s nothing better than a place to call her own, right?
Therefore, due to her age, Fiona no longer had any hope of a family adopting her.
Until… the best happened! The little stray dog was adopted and is overflowing with happiness.
Rescue
The dog was rescued from the streets and taken to the Second Chance animal shelter located in Boaz, Alabama, United States.
Since the day of her rescue, every person who entered the shelter was a spark of hope for the little dog to be welcomed into a responsible and loving home, but people passed her by, ignoring her.
The years passed and Fiona’s chances of being adopted decreased, as the probability of adopting an older pet is very low compared to younger ones.
But the Second Chance team didn’t give up on the little stray and believed that her time would come.
It was then that the pet was transferred to a rescue center in Wisconsin, dedicated to housing senior dogs.
From then on, his story would take a new direction!
New home
The pet arrived at Albert’s Dog Lounge animal shelter on March 23. Lindsey Decker, the shelter’s vice president, told Newsweek that when people heard about her case, they were moved and wanted to adopt her.
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On April 5th, what Fiona and the shelter volunteers had hoped for happened: she was adopted!
Fiona traveled nearly 730 miles from her home to Greenfield, Wisconsin, to live happily with her new family!
But first, Lindsey made sure to check whether the family met all the necessary requirements for adopting Fiona, such as: a fenced yard for her to play in and the presence of other dogs, as Fiona loves company.
Since all the requirements were met, the adoption couldn’t go wrong. Fiona gained two canine siblings and a loving, caring home!
Adaptation
Fiona quickly adapted to her new home! As soon as she arrived, she began exploring the surroundings and making friends with the dogs.
“I was really surprised at how quickly she adapted to home life,” Lindsey said. “She’s totally settled in. It’s amazing.”
Lindsey hopes Fiona’s story will inspire people to give a senior pet a chance, or if they can’t adopt, to donate or volunteer at a local animal shelter.
Benefits of adopting a senior pet
According to G1 , adopting an adult animal offers several benefits, such as avoiding uncertainty about its size when it grows, ensuring immediate companionship and receiving a pet with already defined behavior, facilitating adaptation to the new home.
Additionally, by adopting an older dog or cat, owners can enjoy peaceful companionship, ideal for older people or those with a more relaxed lifestyle.
This choice can also mean saving lives, as older animals are the ones that spend the longest time in shelters.
