“There’s a sweetness about them that tugs at our hearts,” said my sister, Dawna, when I asked about the commitment she and her wife, Amber, have made to adopting older dogs. “They still have a lot of life left.”
Above is Dawna and Amber’s latest adoption (also pictured at the top of this post) — Casey. The previous owner of this 8-year-old boxer took her to the vet for euthanasia on Christmas Eve because he had “grown tired of her.” The vet refused and listed Casey on PetFinder. Dawna and Amber saw the “sad look on the dog’s face,” and didn’t hesitate to give her a new life.
Before Casey was Riley, great dane/boxer mix who was partially blind and deaf plus incapacitated with hip dysplasia. Scheduled for euthanasia at a kill shelter, Riley was listed on the Animal Advocates webpage where Dawna and Amber found him. “He was emaciated,” said Dawna, “but we gave him plenty to eat. He also liked to sleep. He ate and slept so often we came to call him, ‘Dad.'” REST IN PEACE, RILEY
Before Riley was Halo, a pit bull mix with spinal cancer and three to six months to live. Immobile, she was taken to a kill shelter. With TLC and apricot seeds (!), Halo regained use of her legs and lived another three and a half years. REST IN PEACE, HALO.
Dawna and Amber’s first dog was Maya, a snow-white lab, adopted by them when previous owners became allergic to her. They responded to an ad. REST IN PEACE, MAYA
Needless to say, I’m touched by the devotion that Dawna and Amber have shown these beautiful dogs. “We go to the kennel and see the look in their eyes and we just get so sad,” said Dawna. “If we’re sad, how do you think the dog feels? We want them to be happy with the time they have left.”
This is a beautiful tribute to all the Old Faithfuls that have come into our lives. We can’t thank you enough for writing this post. We hope that more will consider an aged pet. Believe us when we say it is a wonderful experience. Each dog had unique qualities with so much left to give. Yes, the abandonment affected their psyche but learning to trust and love again gave them a whole new lease on life.
What you and Amber are doing is a beautiful tribute to ALL OLD FAITHFULS. Deep bow to both of you.
What an uplifting post this is. Dawna and Amber are gifted with a special love for animals that really need love. How lucky these animals are to have crossed paths with Dawna and Amber.
Couldn’t agree more, Merrie Lee. Thanks for reading and posting a comment. xoxo
This is a beautiful tribute to Dawna and Amber. Let this love shine in our too-dark world.
Oh, my heart! I have a vision of a heaven where all these beloveds will come bounding to Dawna & Amber, along with all of their canine friends, to snuggle with them for all eternity! May it be so.
I offer my heartfelt gratitude to Dawna and Amber for their commitment to older dogs. I could not bear the repeated heartbreak of losing them so soon, but I am glad that there are stronger hearts than mine. We have had at least four old dogs, including the one we have now, but they did not come to us that way.