We all love a heartwarming tale about a rescue pet finding a new family, but the story of 12-year-old Laio will tug at your heartstrings harder than most. She was surrendered to the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter in Wantagh, New York, on May 2, 2018.
"Her owners were moving, and they couldn't take her along with them," Lucretia, a volunteer at the shelter, told Best Life. "Laio was very friendly with people. She was actually used for mentoring for the new volunteers. She wasn't very social with dogs, just an old gal that kept to herself. She was very well behaved in her kennel. Maybe that's why she wasn't noticed for such a long time."
According to the ASPCA, the adoption rate for seniors—any dog who's seven years old or older—is only 25 percent, so many of these pups are passed over purely because of their age.
"Laio seemed to deal with the shelter life as best she could," Lucretia said. "It made me admire her. As if she had the attitude, 'This is the hand I was dealt in life right now, and I'm going to make the best of it.'"
To help her odds of finding a home, some volunteers created a Instagram account for Laio, which got a little attention. But she didn't go viral until WeRateDogs, a Twitter account with more than 8 million followers, shared her story on her 450th day without a home.
The founder of the account even paid Laio a visit to lift her spirits, telling her not to lose hope.
And, sure enough, on August 11th, Laio finally got the forever home she deserved!
"They are a wonderful family," Lucretia said of the pup's adoptive pawrents. "She is decompressing and adjusting to a home with multiple cats, so it is still a work in progress and we hope this is her happy ever after."
As uplifting as her story may be, it's also a reminder of just how many very good boys and girls are still out there waiting for their families, like Roo here.
If you're looking for a new best friend, you might want to use an app like How I Met My Dog, which can match you with a shelter dog much like a dating website. Who knows, your new best furry friend could be out there waiting for you. And for more proof that it's worth considering a senior, check out 21 Photos That Prove Old Dogs Are the Best Dogs.
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