For 85-year-old Shirley Moore, the terrifying pandemic experience was made bearable only due to the comforting presence of her loyal mini Fox Terrier, Lily. But a month ago, the 16-year-old pooch died of old age, leaving Shirley feeling empty and hopeless, writes ilovemydogsomuch
The grieving woman decided to adopt a new dog, but this turned out to be harder than she had expected.
As Shirley reached out to every local shelter, she realized getting a pet during the pandemic was almost impossible. Many greedy locals had adopted shelter pets only to sell them for high prices, so the workers were wary about allowing random adoptions. Moreover, Shirley’s age was another issue, as it made her incompatible with many dogs who required plenty of exercise and maintenance.
In a desperate last ditch attempt, Shirley reached out to the local radio and shared her fruitless search for a furry companion in her twilight years. The poor woman was clearly traumatized by the void left by Lily’s death, and her radio plea tugged at the hearts of the entire community.
When the staff at Australian National K9 Rescue learned about Shirley’s situation, they immediately thought of Tia Maria, the 4-year-old Tenterfield Terrier. Tia was surrendered to the shelter in a hurry because her owner’s health had declined rapidly. However, no one was interested in adopting this lonely girl as she was a laidback “homebody”.
The rescue wasted no time and contacted Shirley. The moment the elderly woman met Tia, the staff knew it was meant to be! The adoption followed instantly, and the duo seamlessly settled in each other’s company. Now that Shirley finally has a buddy of her own, she feels motivated to get out of bed every day. She is immensely grateful to the community for spreading her story and bailing her out from one of the lowest points in her life!
Source: ilovemydogsomuch.tv