Living alone during the pandemic has been difficult for Kathryn LaRoche. So when her 20-year-old cat passed away, she decided she wanted to open her home to another older animal.
“It was a really heartbreaking experience, but made me realize how great senior pets can be,” LaRoche told The Dodo.Browsing the Indy Humane website, she came across Sonny. The 16-year-old dog had been found as a stray on the streets of Indianapolis, and though he was microchipped, all attempts to contact his original owners had failed.
LaRoche immediately fell in love with his sweet gray face and knew that his age could make it difficult for him to find another home. So she decided to go to the shelter and meet him.
“I spent the days before the meeting making sure I had everything ready for him at home,” LaRoche said, “so that if he did come home with me he would have beds and toys.”
When the day came, LaRoche walked into the shelter and asked to meet their oldest resident. The shelter volunteers brought Sonny outside and, from the second LaRoche saw him, she knew he’d be coming home with her.
“They said I could spend about 30 minutes with him to make a decision, but I went in to fill out the paperwork after five,” LaRoche said. “I could tell he was a bit nervous meeting new people, but he was just such a happy, easy-going old guy that I knew he’d be perfect for me.”
Riding home with LaRoche, Sonny couldn’t stop smiling.
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