Being a senior dog in an animal shelter is tough. They’re often overlooked and chosen last, and they might be forced to live out their golden years in the shelter or a foster home if they’re lucky.
Many senior dogs are surrendered to shelters in rough conditions due to years of negligence or abuse, and for those dogs, the shelter might mean a bit of relief from their suffering.
However, some senior dogs end up in the shelter after spending years with a great family. Maybe the family had to move or change circumstances, but sometimes an owner will pass away and leave their senior pooch to fend for itself.
That’s what happened to Scooter, a chihuahua who spend 12 years of his life in a loving home with someone who cared deeply for him. Unfornatueyl, when Scooter’s owner passed away, he was brought to the Humane Society of Branch County, but he didn’t really understand why he had to leave his home or what was happening.
According to The Dodo, the shelter’s manager, said: “Scooter was 12 years old and had an old hip injury. But we had the space … We never turn them away.”
She suspected Scooter would be at the shelter for a while, possibly spending the rest of his life there. After all, he was up there in age and had some medical issues with his hip situation.
However, once Scooter was at the shelter, the staff began to notice something heartbreaking and adorable all at once. AT bedtime, Scooter would tuck himself into his blanket – just like his former owner would do!
The shelter shared a photo of the sweet habit on Facebook and it wasn’t long before it went viral.
The shelter was pleased to announce that, thanks to Scooter’s viral fame, he found a loving family to take him home!
They said, “Scooter has been adopted!!!! His story went viral last night due to the outpouring of love. We have all been so touched by everyone that cared about him.”
I am broadly interested in how human activities influence the ability of wildlife to persist in the modified environments that we create.
Specifically, my research investigates how the configuration and composition of landscapes influence the movement and population dynamics of forest birds. Both natural and human-derived fragmenting of habitat can influence where birds settle, how they access the resources they need to survive and reproduce, and these factors in turn affect population demographics. Most recently, I have been studying the ability of individuals to move through and utilize forested areas which have been modified through timber harvest as they seek out resources for the breeding and postfledging phases. As well I am working in collaboration with Parks Canada scientists to examine in the influence of high density moose populations on forest bird communities in Gros Morne National Park. Many of my projects are conducted in collaboration or consultation with representatives of industry and government agencies, seeking to improve the management and sustainability of natural resource extraction.
