When you own a dog, it’s your responsibility to give them the best care throughout their lives, even when they get older or develop medical conditions.
But too many owners seem to see their senior dogs as inconvenient burdens, and unwilling to help them anymore, they simply get rid of them.
But after one obese senior dog was abandoned on the interstate, a new family came along to give him the help she needs.
In July, a 15-year-old Australian Shepherd Mix named Belky was left on the side of Interstate 696 in Michigan, according to People. The dog was in bad shape, so overweight that she could barely move.
After bystanders found the dog, they contacted the Saginaw County Animal Care and Control (SCAC) and officers soon arrived and took the dog in.
In addition to being older and obese, Belky had a number of health issues that had gone untreated. Thankfully, she finally got the help she needed. According to Daily Paws, vets treated her for matted fur and maggots.
They also diagnosed a thyroid condition as the cause of her morbid obesity, and gave her medications to treat the problem.
With Belky on the road to better health, the next step was to find this abandoned dog a new home.
The Humane Society of Midland County took Belky in from SCAC and put her up for adoption. Despite all the odds against her, they hoped that someone would take a chance on Belky.
“We saw Belky on the Saginaw County Animal Care Facebook page before the visit and promised to take her and give her a second chance if she had a good quality of life,” Casey Nicholson, the communications coordinator at the Humane Society, told People. “We met a dog with a bright light in her eyes that wanted so badly to be loved and given a second chance.”
It can be hard for older rescue dogs to find homes, as they are often passed over by families in favor of younger dogs. But Belky got the perfect chance to find a new home last month as part of an “Empty the Shelters” adoption event by the BISSELL Pet Foundation.
And thankfully, she caught the attention of a perfect adopter: Breanna Dalton, who immediately fell in love with the old dog.
Breanna hurried to the adoption event, eager to adopt Belky, knowing she could be the one to give this dog the love she needed.
“I know it’s harder for older dogs to get adopted because everyone wants puppies that will be with them for a long time, and I had a feeling that her need for medication would make it even harder for her to find a home,” Breanna told People. “I felt so lucky the next day when I had time to go to the shelter, and she was still there.”
She says she knows the struggle old and sick dogs have when it comes to getting adopted, and wanted to give Belky a home, even if it’s just for the twilight of her life.
“It’s not their fault that they’re old and they’re not doing as well,” she told Daily Paws. “They need just as much love as they did when they were puppies.”
“I might not have her long, but I’m going to make sure she has the best time as long as I have her. We’re not here for a long time, but we’re going to be here for a great time.”
Belky was one of 1,805 dogs to find a new home at the adoption event, but hers is an especially inspiring ending given all she’s been through and all the odds against her.
This senior dog is now in much better health and will continue to recover in a very loving new home.
“When I get home, she’s so excited to see me that her whole body wiggles with excitement,” Breanna told People.
It’s so sad to think that anyone would abandon an old dog like this instead of getting her help, but we’re so happy that everything worked out for Belky in the end.
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