Love
N O R T H B AY P E T S
FOR THE
OF SENIOR PETS
“Senior pets are special because you can tell they’ve been through a lot. Look into their eyes and know that they may have had multiple homes, or maybe one home that they can no longer be in, and people they will never see again. They have stories they can never tell us. They want and need a stable place to spend their golden years and our donors, fosters and adopters make that possible.” — KA R R I E ST EWA RT, H S S C H E A L D S B U R G S H E LT E R M A N A G E R Fred Rogers with foster mom Stacey. Photo by Chris Kittredge.
FRED RODGERS Fred Rodgers greets you with warm brown eyes and a grey-muzzled smile that reveals teeth worn down to nibs. When he leans into you for pets, you notice the skin on his elbows is tough and patchy, and that his body bears a constellation Fred Rogers in his sweater. of small scars. He’s wearing a cable-knit sweater like the most distinguished of grandpas and taking him for a walk is like walking a small ox — his strength supersedes his age-related creakiness! These are just some of the reasons we love Fred. Like so many of the senior pets we take in, Fred arrived at the shelter a little worn around the edges, yet with so much love to give. And like many older animals, he has required a little extra TLC as we help get him to the next leg of his journey. During his intake exam, our veterinary team noted that Fred was shaking his head persistently and limped arthritically when he walked. They estimated his age to be about 12 years. His ears were inflamed and quite painful, and there was evidence of old hematomas. Not surprisingly, a cytology test showed he had advanced bacterial infection in both ears. He was sensitive about having his front legs touched and his hind leg muscles seemed atrophied. Radiographs of one of his legs 4
suggested a previous injury. Our team created a plan to treat his ears and help him feel more comfortable. Over the next couple of weeks, our veterinarians monitored his progress to see how he responded to ear meds, joint supplements and NSAIDs. While out on gentle walks with Fred, our staff and volunteers began to notice he seemed more comfortable. As we got to know him, he showed us he was the type of dog who was just looking for a quiet home where he could be pampered with snuggly naps, easy walks and lots of love. We placed him with Stacey, one of our amazing foster volunteers, who has worked very closely with our shelter medical team to help manage his chronic ear infection and keep his arthritis under control. Fred has been happy to soak up all the love Stacey could give until we could find him a forever home. As it turns out, Fred has been home all along. Just as this article was going to print, Stacey called to let us know she wanted to adopt him!
BEGIN AGAIN Older pets often come to us without a lot of historical information, like Fred Rodgers did, from overcrowded shelters that don’t have the resources to address the unique needs of seniors. Others have enjoyed years with families who love them, but come to us when home circumstances change. “We see a higher number of senior pet surrenders than younger pets,” explains HSSC Admissions Program Manager, Anna Harrison. “This is due to the fact that many pets outlive their owners’ ability to care for them. Many come to us after their owner has passed away or has moved into a care facility that isn’t able to accommodate pets.” Still others arrive as strays, like Magneta. (right)
