When Gabriella decided she needed a four-legged walking companion she never thought she would end up with two! Of course, one was never an acceptable number for Gabriella and her husband. These two are young seniors, married for 37 years and have 11 children, 3 of which still live at home. Because they have a single income, this puts a damper on having pets as they can be very costly. When Charming Pet Rescue announced the Silver Paws & Senior Hearts Program, which pays for all essentials and veterinary bills for those over 55 adopting a dog or cat over 7, Gabriella knew her prayers for a family pet had been answered.
Gabriella met Jessa, a cute, young-at-heart 10-year-old Shih Tzu mix and knew that would be the perfect walking companion. Not knowing what to expect, Gabriella’s family decided that fostering would be the best way to see if a dog would work for them. After the first day, they all knew it was a perfect fit and adopted her! Jessa required some much-needed dental work and had a skin issue that topical solutions could not resolve. Thanks to a medical grant from Grey Muzzle Organization to the Silver Paws & Senior Hearts Program all of Jessa’s medical bills were paid in full!
A few months later, Gabriella stopped by the rescue to pick up some special senior dog food for Jessa and asked if there was a senior dog at the rescue that may need fostering for some socializing and more focused attention. It just happens that a tiny 6-pound Chihuahua named Minnie had just been turned over to the rescue because her elderly owner had gone into senior care and couldn’t take her. Gabriella took one look at the shy Minnie and knew she could help Minnie come out of her shell and care for her after the planned dental surgery. Minnie was shy at first but once she had her dental surgery and got used to the family and Jessa, she started to come out of her shell. Gabriella could not imagine life without both Jessa and Minnie and asked the rescue if she could adopt Minnie as well. Of course, the rescue said YES!
These girls are the best of friends and great companions for each other. These two senior pups are now enjoying the love and attention they get from the entire family in the evenings. It has turned out to be an amazing match for the senior, both pups and humans alike!