Old Dog Adoption – Why I champion it.

Oh please, not again! Not another post about rescuing old dogs; about cuddling old, flee-ridden, mangy, toothless, decrepit mutts creaking with arthritis and with overflowing bad temper for that feel-good experience of an animal rescuer. Enough of it.

Hold on, not so fast. I am an old decrepit dog, with creaky joints. In fact, I live in a wheelchair. My hind legs are useless.

But my mind, my brain, my soul and my heart are as good as ever. I still love people, particularly women. I admire them and they adore me – cause I am so cute in my bulky wheelchair. Believe it or not, I am still a show stopper and the best chick magnet ever known to man. Trust me!

Why do you think the young, testosterone driven college guys, living on the Boardwalk in Hermosa Beach, wanted so desperately to rent me? All they expected me to do was to sit with them on the outdoor couch and look cuddly. They even volunteered to give me one pack of hot dogs as daily fee and free room and board for the day. Can you beat that?

Unfortunately, my human wanted me to sit with him. He does not pay me anything. What a bummer. Don't you agree that even a rescued old dog deserves better than that?

But back to rescuing old dogs. I started my career as champion of old dogs that need homes almost six years ago after I created and orchestrated my own adoption from the rescue shelter that was my temporary home for almost one year.

I had experienced first hand the deep, deep despair and hopelessness that engulfs all of us old dogs when we are thrown away like a dirty rag, donated to the streets or abandoned at an anonymous truck stop somewhere along a freeway. Many of us just give up, lay down their head and await death sleeping.

It will come without mercy on the streets or on a filthy, rat infested empty lot in a city. For some of us old dogs death is even more cruel. We are captured and used as bait for fighting dogs in training. We are deemed a disposable thing.

The lucky ones among us get picked up and driven to an animal shelter. There they are at least fed, get some minimal medical care and, most importantly, a chance to touch someone's heart. A few are fortunate enough to even find a home.

A few. Too few . . .

Even today it hurts deep down in my heart and soul to think and speak about the experience of abandonment after many years of loyal service to humans. Though distant in time, within me the feeling is overwhelmingly, intense, destructive and alive at times.

So, please spare me to describe over and over again the details of my experience, which is also the experience of uncounted other companion pets. I did it in much detail years ago after I had found myself a new family. Writing then about my ordeal served as catharsis for my soul and gave me peace and new happiness.

You can find excerpts from my unfinished memoirs right here. Or read about “Hotel Hope”, my home for almost one year.

Then you understand why I champion old dog adoption and old dog rehabilitation. Allow me to humbly add that I singlehandedly rehabilitated over ten old-timers. Every single one of them found a new home!

Is your curiosity getting the better of you? Do you want to hear the benefits of adopting an old dog? Can I sway your opinion and give you good reasons to consider adopting an old dog?

Well, many well meaning animal rescuers have written about the benefits of adopting an old animal – and even copied the reasons from each other. Most of them get stuck in what I consider superficialities. Such as 'old dogs are housebroken', old dogs 'don't eat handbags', old dogs don't 'chew on furniture', old dogs don't 'tear your house apart while you are gone'.

All true. But there are better reasons on a higher level for selecting an old animal for adoption. To put it provocatively: Would you consider taking in your grandpa (who can no longer care for himself) only because he has false teeth and therefore won't chomp down your BBQ ribs before you can get to them?
Huh?

I have laid out, defined and explained my own reasons for adopting old animals in a piece called “Adopting an Old Dog – Are You Crazy?”.

It is devoid of damaged shoes, furniture and other superficial nuisances created by puppies and young untrained animals as good reasons for selecting an old animal. Instead, it goes right to the core of why you ought to adopt an older animal, dog or cat.

Since I hate repetition and am a lazy typist, why not go directly to the source. You find it here.

Then write me if you still believe that a saved Gucci handbag is a better reason for saving an old dog.

Windsor
King