Dogs Trust’s oldest doggy duo, with a combined age of 34, have found a forever home together after their owner sadly passed away.
Dogs Trust Evesham has been caring for 17-year-old Collie crosses Sheba and Teddy, believed to be the oldest pair of pooches that have ever been cared for by the charity, since November. They were brought into the rehoming centre following the death of their owner, after spending all of their lives as beloved pets.
Older dogs can take longer to rehome, so their age, coupled with the fact they needed to be rehomed as a pair, meant they received very little interest from potential adopters. However, the golden oldies got lucky when Dogs Trust volunteer Sue Lewis, 69, from Redditch, heard about their story and couldn’t bear the thought of them not finding their final forever home.
Sue says: “I became a volunteer dog walker at the Evesham rehoming centre in September last year, as I had a huge dog-shaped hole in my life since losing my last dog, Muttley, a year previously. My husband Pete wasn’t quite ready to welcome another four-legged friend into our lives so I decided to get my dog-fix by volunteering.
“I’ve walked dozens of dogs since I started but I fell in love with Sheba and Teddy instantly after I went out on a walk with them and one of their carers, Callum. He was telling me all about how they were being overlooked by potential adopters due to the fact they are an older pair and my heart broke. I said, ‘do you think they’d like to come and live with me’ and the rest is history!”
Sue has always been fond of the oldies; Muttley, was found as an abandoned stray as a puppy and lived to the grand old age of 16 and she’s had other dogs who have lived to 17. Sue says she knew that when the time was right to get another dog, she wanted to rescue a dog who needed a second chance.
Sue adds: “It’s so nice to be greeted by a waggy tail again after so long. Sheba and Teddy have settled in amazingly well, you can tell they were much-loved pets and used to their home comforts. They are so bonded with one another but do have different personalities, Teddy is definitely the more confident of the two! I’m just so happy I was able to keep them together in their twilight years to live out their lives with us.”
Chris Slight, Rehoming Centre Manager at Dogs Trust Evesham, says: “Sheba and Teddy’s world was turned upside down when their owner died, and we were all eager to find them a home together – which was proving difficult due to their age and because we were looking for an owner to take on a pair. Luckily Sue fell in love with them and it’s been the ideal outcome for everyone. We know they’ll be very happy with Sue and Pete who will make sure they have everything they could hope for in their final forever home.”
The charity is keen to remind potential adopters of the benefits of adopting an older dog.
Chris adds: “Older dogs often don’t need quite as much exercise and although they can be a little less energetic, senior canines can be just as fun and playful. Older dogs are more likely to be fully house-trained and, as they are older and wiser, they usually know other training basics too, but you can certainly still teach an old dog new tricks. They can also make the perfect napping partner and enjoy a good snooze and a snuggle in the evening”.
If you think you could offer a home to an older dog, or any of the residents at Dogs Trust, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming.
