Adopting Senior and Special-Needs Animals, in Honor of Chance's 13th

categories: Animal Profiles, Companion Animals

Published October 01, 2009 @ 02:51PM PT

Today is Chance the corgi lab's 13th (observed) birthday. And it is good that she is not cognizant of this -- because she would otherwise be understandably miffed that she and I spent a couple hours of it at the vet's office, where she was subjected to much unpleasantness in the name of treatment as well as preventive testing. Nor would she be particularly thrilled that tomorrow is brush-and-bath day. But even though she doesn't know that today is anything special, and even though we don't know when she was really born, I'll still fix her a dinner with extra goodies tonight and give her an extra belly rub; the day means something to me because of how much she means to me and because I'm painfully aware that she's in her final year or years.

Information from Chance's first 8 years of life is vague and scarce. I know that she spent most of her first 6 to 7 years tied to a tree. I know that she wasn't taken to the vet often if ever. I know that many of the ear problems she has now are the result of years of ear infections gone untreated. And I know that after she somehow ended up in a central Illinois shelter after those first several years, she was adopted twice -- and returned twice -- before I came along; she was in those homes only briefly and each time was returned not because she'd done anything wrong, but essentially because she wasn't perfect, and her adopters -- well, let's just say they weren't perfect either.

I met Chance several months after her second return. The staff had kept her on the main page of their site as the featured dog for months, trying to give her a leg up. I heard one of the shelter workers refer to her as "Second Chance" that day I drove the hour to meet her. Between her age, severe allergies, ear infections, reported accidents inside (which, for the record, she's never had with me except for when on steroids or terrified of something, so I'm tempted to assume that her previous brief caregiver simply left her alone for inappropriate lengths of time), and a body shape that guaranteed future arthritis and joint problems, she was having a hard time finding a home. So she'd been at the shelter off and on for a long time, and this was not a no-kill shelter, nor was it fine living; her current surroundings were depressing, and her prospects weren't good.

But oh, was she sweet. She was sweet and funny and playful and affectionate, and she deserved to get the hell out of there, to spend the last years of her life better than she'd spent the majority of it. And she has. I wouldn't trade the decision to bring her home for anything. Every stressful moment or mess, every hour upon hour at vet's offices, every dollar spent and credit card bill cringed at -- they have all been outweighed by the joy of witnessing her life and of witnessing her joy, by the honor of getting to live these last five years, and hopefully still a couple more, knowing her. She is a remarkable being, and I adore her.

This nation's shelters (and even streets), like those of other nations, are full of dogs and cats and other animals, many of them senior or special-needs animals. These latter animals aren't the ones most people are inclined to adopt, yet they deserve lives and love no less than the healthy puppy three cages down. They didn't do anything wrong to suffer the illnesses or injuries or problems they may have. It's not their fault that they were abandoned in old age or sickness or that they have diabetes or arthritis. They didn't ask to be blind or deaf or allergic or traumatized by beatings. And they certainly didn't ask or deserve to be caged, lonely, and afraid. But when Petfinder, which declared this past August 12 Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable-Pet Day, polled shelters about which animals are hardest to place, senior animals came in first, and "pets with medical problems" came in second ("victims of breed prejudice" came in a very close third).

Rescuing an older or special-needs animal sometimes brings challenges, but it also can bring unique joys. The next time you or someone you know is looking to add a new member to the family, please remember Chance and the mind-boggling number of animals like her who need homes and affection as much as anyone else. They are so worth saving.

Helpful Links

Rescue Groups With a Special Focus on Helping Senior Dogs (state-by-state resource, from the Senior Dogs Project)

The Grey Muzzle Organization (this group deserves a later post all of its own)

HandicappedPets.com (resources, support, and products)

Top Ten Reasons to Adopt an Older Dog (from the Senior Dogs Project)

BlindDogs.com

DeafDogs.org

Living with a Disabled Cat

Reasons to Adopt a Senior Cat

Fight Discrimination on All Fronts: Adopt-a-Less-Adoptable Pet Day! (guest post from Kelly Garbato here on this blog)

Pit Bull Rescue Central

---
Photo above of Chance and photo below of Mabel and Chance, both my special-needs pals, by yours truly (for the record, uneven hair growth on her right back half is not one of Chance's odd problems; she'd had surgery four months prior)

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Comments (17)

A friend of ours back in Salt Lake has two "less desirable" dogs residing with her; one as a foster, and one whom she adopted. They are two of my favorite dogs in the world - one has a neurological condition that has caused him to loose control of his motor functions - he's in a doggy walker and wobbles like crazy, but MAN is he a happy little dude. His pleasure at being around people and his doggie friend are clear and totally infectious. I would love to adopt him, and pity anyone who would discount him just because he's special needs.

One of the biggest surprises for me was learning that their "difficulties" actually make them easier to have around in some aspects - Jerry, who is deaf, doesn't bark. Who knows what other special aspects of these dogs could make them even more enjoyable companions?

As for me, I plan on starting to foster Pit Bulls this month or next. Philadelphia is overrun with them, and they need all the help they can get.

Posted by Jen Ruff on 10/01/2009 @ 03:39PM PT
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The first dog you mentioned wouldn't happen to be a funny looking little bulldog from Dogtown would it?

Posted by Debby McCabe on 10/02/2009 @ 04:26AM PT
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Nope. He was cute though, wasn't he?

Posted by Jen Ruff on 10/02/2009 @ 11:28AM PT
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Also, Happy Birthday(!) to Chance.. wish Change.org allowed post editing.

Posted by Jen Ruff on 10/01/2009 @ 03:47PM PT
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ahh, so wonderful. after fostering various and sundry "less than desirable senior and special needs" dogs who were successfully adopted to loving family homes we did have one returned which i did keep. he was deemed human aggressive, while no signs of aggression were displayed around our kids, once this label is given to a dog there are "rules". we kept him. this was the dog that changed our lives, a beautiful blue merle australian shephard he gave the best of his years to us.

treating his pain with adequan, sierrasil natural supplements and a holistic diet he reversed the clock and romped the soccer fields for years. what we gained was comfort adoration spunk for life humor at every turn.

thank you for this article. no one is disposable and anything worth having in life takes care.

Posted by Jennifer Perugini on 10/01/2009 @ 04:06PM PT
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Beautiful. Beautiful. Beautiful. After the day, the dairy post, this post, and Ani's "Your Next Bold Move," I think I am officially wiped out. For better and worse. :)

Posted by Lisa R on 10/01/2009 @ 08:59PM PT
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Aww, happy birthday, Chance! Sending you virtual birthday muffins and belly rubs.

The only "downside" to adopting a senior animal is knowing that you won't have enough time to make up for all the suffering they've endured at the hands of humans. I wish I'd found Kaylee when she was 8 months old, instead of 8 years young. Maybe in that parallel universe the old girl still has all her teefies.

Posted by Kelly Garbato on 10/01/2009 @ 09:07PM PT
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I love that photo of Mabel and Chance gazing out the door glass. What has their rapt attention?

Happy one-more-great-day-with-Mabel-and-Stephanie-day, Chance!

Posted by Olivia White on 10/02/2009 @ 12:00AM PT
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I love this post, thank you for writing it! Chance is such a lucky pup to have you!

All 4 of our dogs are rescues, 2 of them are elderly (1 with minor health problems), 1 of them a big black 'terrifying' pit mix (couldn't be sweeter), and 1 of them is now middle aged but when I got her she was an unwanted 1 year old.

The 2 senior citizens came to us as terrified shells of dogs, used to abuse and hatred from humans. Now they are puppies again, and have been for the 2 and 3 years we have had them. They spend their days curled on the couch, playing with each other, sunning themselves in the yard, and hiking with the herd. It seems that they know SO clearly how great they've got it and they show their gratefulness with unending, unbounded love and affection. They are the most amazing, gorgeous dogs.

Whenever it is time to adopt again we will definitely go for the senior citizens or the special needs dogs.

Posted by The Voracious Vegan . on 10/02/2009 @ 12:13AM PT
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Sadly its always the "Senior and special-needs" animals that get left behind. too much hassle to look after many think, but to know that you are doing, to take them in, is right, makes up fpr the extra time you loose taking care of them, its a pleasure.

Posted by Soodle Billy on 10/02/2009 @ 02:59AM PT
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Aww, what a gorgeous happy girl. I hope I have as many wonderful years with my Lucy, who also had a hard time finding a forever home since she's a black pit mix. The grief we've gotten as pit bull owners has been more than outweighed by the love and joy Lucy has given us.

Posted by Shannon Davis on 10/02/2009 @ 04:51AM PT
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Happy birthday, Chance!

Older dogs are great. My Poncho was approximately 6 when I adopted him. He's 9 now and still wonderful.

Posted by Tracy Habenicht on 10/02/2009 @ 10:50AM PT
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Happy Birthday Chance! What a great photo of the two of them! Thank you for being that second chance.

Posted by Mary Martin on 10/02/2009 @ 01:16PM PT
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Stephanie, I am completely in tears!! What a profoundly touching story with an important message.

Warm Happy Birthday love, hugs, and wishes to Chance!

Thank you so much for this post, and for your inspiring compassion and dedication.

Posted by Claudia Hajian on 10/03/2009 @ 04:30PM PT
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i just adopted a blind, diabetic, hypothyroid chocolate lab a few months ago. everybody thought she was at death's door. the shelter was just going to euthanize her. i saw her last chance photo on the care2 website and decided to save her. with the right medications, she is now a total spaz. she takes me on a walk every night.

Posted by Catherine Turley on 10/03/2009 @ 09:25PM PT
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Happy (belated) Birthday Chance! So glad you found this remarkable woman to give you a loving home. :)

Posted by Bea Elliott on 10/04/2009 @ 06:19AM PT
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Happy Birthday, Chance!!

She really has no idea how lucky she is...

Posted by Lisa Smolen on 10/04/2009 @ 07:28AM PT
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Author

Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.