My New Old Sara

/ Allison Rodrigues

Let’s get one thing straight ... I’m a cat person. I do love dogs ... but historically it’s been because other people own them. I’ve always just thought that dogs weren’t the best lifestyle choice for me, as I’m not home as often as a dog would need. And, honestly, I’ve just never fantasized about playing fetch with my dog in the yard. (Which is theeee most important part of dog ownership, right? ;)

This past January, I walked into the Mandarin Petco to buy a gift for my neighbor’s dog’s birthday. I didn’t realize there would be an adoption event, but I learned that Ana’s Angels brings adoptable pets in every Saturday. I spotted this ancient little dog in a crate with a sign that said: Dumped in Petco parking lot. 12 years old. Sara.

Ugh.

I walked around the store and couldn’t get this dog off my mind. 12 years old! Older than my son. She’d been found in terrible condition, but something told me she hadn’t always been that way. I wasn’t considering a dog, so I snapped a picture of her and posted it to Facebook, encouraging people to come visit her and consider her for adoption.

I left and couldn’t stop thinking about the dog all week. I couldn’t believe someone could just leave her in the condition the rescue found her in. I thought long and hard before I got my husband on board with bringing Sara home for a trial.

She had 18 teeth removed in the days before she came home with me—eighteen! She was also in congestive heart failure, had severe arthritis, and required eye drops for dry eye issues. I consulted with my own vet. He gave me lots of good advice and told me that she probably had one to two years left, because of her heart.

Well ... I bought a pill organizer and she never left.

I coined the hashtag #oldsara, and she’s now living her best life! She’s super spoiled and a little grumpy in her own sassy way. She doesn’t move very well, but likes to try to chase lizards, goes fishing, camping, and to everyone’s cookouts. She loves to sit out on the dock in the evenings, and keep me company while I garden.

Old Sara will never recover from her physical heart problems, but we are making her time as fun, cozy, and filled with love as we can—however long that is. •

/ facebook.com/AnasAngelsAnimalRescue