Well, no, I mean, not this cutie. She's already been adopted. But I mean, in general, how many people go looking for an older dog? My neighbor didn't. She went looking for a "younger" dog. As we know in the dog world, though, we don't always get the dog we want; we often get the dog we need.
Let me backtrack just a bit. My neighbor and her husband lost their beloved pug mix just a couple of months ago. I can attest to the fact that she was the sweetest girl, and much loved by her humans. But her loss left a void, so they decided to look for another dog. I volunteered to help, which ended up with the neighbor and I on a wild goose chase at first, driving all the way to Riverside County Animal Shelter, only to find it closed due to COVID restrictions. Arrrgh! We turned around and drove all the way home--well, almost.
As I navigated the freeway system, my neighbor called several other local shelters--all closed. "Well," I told her, "before I take you home, let's pop up to Cherry Valley and stop in at BARC. Maybe they have a little dog in the store right now."
BARC is Benevolent Animal Rescue Committee. They keep their small dogs on a large property in Cherry Valley and the big dogs on an even bigger place in Apple Valley. The rescue also runs a thrift shop in Cherry Valley, and the proceeds go to rescuing dogs and cats. I've dealt with these terrific volunteers before, and they're one of my favorite local rescues.
The thrift store (located at 39245 Vineland in Cherry Valley, right next to the feed store on the corner of Vineland and Beaumont Avenue) was open, so we wandered in, and my neighbor shared that she was looking for a small dog, "preferably young" and female. A volunteer pulled out her phone and began to show us photos of the small female dogs they had available.
Here's where the story gets goose-bumpy: My neighbor, a woman of strong faith, had already mentioned to me that (1) she had prayed for guidance and direction in making this decision and (2) she had already picked out a name for whatever dog she might adopt: Dolly. The photos on the volunteer's phone showed the dogs' pictures and their names.
"Stop," my neighbor said. "Can you go back? Was that dog's name Dolly?"
Yep. Goosebumps. Well, when you ask for a sign....
"Yes," the volunteer said, "but she's a senior. She was actually one of our rescues years ago, adopted by an older couple. But the husband passed away, and the wife is now in the hospital with serious medical issues. She can no longer care for this dog or her other two, so her daughter brought them back to us." Of the trio of dogs that were returned, Dolly was the only female.
Within the hour, my neighbor had filled out an application, the ranch had been alerted we were coming, and there we were, moments later, walking Dolly around and getting to know her.
"Well, Dolly, they say you're an old lady," I heard my neighbor say as she walked her new friend around the yard. "I'm an old lady, too, so that should work just fine."
In short order, Dolly was meeting her new dad, exploring her new home and yard, and receiving plenty of love and good food and treats.
Already potty trained and used to snuggling on the couch, Dolly fits right in with her new family. She is a mellow, sweet girl who will help her humans heal from the loss of their previous dog, and they will help her heal from the heartbreak of losing her family after all those years. Win. Win.
"I don't care if she lives two months or two years," my neighbor told me. "We'll deal with that when the time comes."
I will say Amen to that.
By the way, as of this writing, Dolly's two brothers are still available for adoption. Alex is eight and Pepper is eleven. Both are housebroken, well-behaved dogs. I'll just leave their two adorable photos below. If interested, just click on the link to BARC and fill out an application. A volunteer will call you.
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