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It can be difficult for senior shelter dogs to find their forever homes. Oftentimes adopters will pass over these older dogs in favor of puppies, not wanting the responsibility of caring for a senior.
But older dogs deserve homes just as much as anyone — to have a safe, loving home to spend their final years in.
But thankfully, there are some people in the world willing to open their hearts to older pets. That was the case recently, after a senior dog got adopted by an even more senior woman, in what is truly a perfect match.
According to Today, an 11-year-old Chihuahua mixed-breed named Gnocchi was rescued from a hoarding situation along with 21 other dogs, and was taken in by Muttsville Senior Dog Rescue.
Gnocchi was ready to find a new home, but there were challenges: it can be hard to find someone willing to taken in a senior dog, and Gnocchi also reportedly needed to be in a one-dog household.
But thankfully, he soon found his soulmate in a 100-year-old woman named Johanna Carrington.
Johanna wanted to adopt another dog after the death of her previous pet, Rocky, but her family worried that shelters wouldn’t let a woman of her age adopt a dog. But then, a neighbor connected her with Muttsville, and the shelter realized she could be a perfect match for Gnocchi.
When the little dog visited Johanna’s home, it was immediately clear that it was meant to be.
“He came to the house like he’d been here before. It was remarkable,” Johanna told Today. “He saw me sitting on my chair, jumped up on me and sat on my lap. He made himself very, very comfortable. He was just our baby right away.”
Gnocchi — now renamed “Gucci” — has now settled in to his new home. Johanna has reportedly provided him with lots of toys, and Gucci and Johanna are having a great time bonding.
It’s a match made in heaven, and it’s part of the shelter’s “Seniors for Seniors” program. Muttsville believes in the benefits that dogs can have for senior citizens, and that they can be a perfect match for their senior dogs.
“Sweet GNOCCHI gets to celebrate his golden years in his wonderful new home,” Muttsville wrote on Facebook. “We were thrilled to help match these two fabulous seniors together.”
Adopting a dog to a centenarian isn’t a decision to be made lightly — many dogs end up in shelters after their elderly owners pass away with no plans to rehome them — but the rescue pledges to take the dog back if anything happens, and also offers resources like temporary fostering.
And Johanna isn’t taking care of the dog alone: she has a caregiver who gives Gucci daily walks, and gets help from her daughter Debbie Carrington, 64.
Debbie says she’s already seen a big improvement since Gucci arrived in their home.
“After she lost her other dog, it was kind of sad here,” Debbie told Today. “It was quiet and sad, and then Gucci brought joy into the house. Laughing about him running around and doing funny things, and then also him sleeping on her lap with her while she’s in her recliner or sleeping in her bed, it’s just making her very happy.”
“Animals bring so much happiness in our home,” Johanna said. “It’s unbelievable.”
“I just love him.”
This is truly a match made in heaven, and a win-win: senior dog Gucci has found a new home to spend his golden years in, and Johanna has a friend to brighten her life.
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