- Velcro, originally named Beluga, has arrived at Austin Pets Alive! 2022 and spent more than 700 days in rescue in Texas
- The ten-year-old dog has special needs, which made it difficult to find the right foster until Velcro met Jeanette
- Jeanette, a 74-year-old woman, decided to spoil the velcro since she brought an elderly dog home
After two years of waiting in a shelter for his perfect partner, the elderly dog Velcro found his soulmate in his fellow citizen.
Beluga, now renamed Velcro, has arrived at Austin Pets Alive! (APA) in 2022 and began his search for an eternal family. The Carolina mixed breed dog has special needs: he is partially deaf and partially blind and has neurological and mobility issues.
Because of these special needs, Velcro required a home with certain specifications—quiet, slow, ideally a one-story house—which unfortunately extended his stay at the Texas shelter.
But then, in February, Jeanette came in. Jeanette, who turns 75 in April, was looking for an obedient, loving companion after the death of her two dogs in December. The animal lover initially visited the shelter to meet another dog, but then saw 10-year-old Velcro.
“He has a neurological problem, so his head is kind of tilted to the side, and he was like, ‘Oh, look at poor little me.’ So I said, ‘Okay, I have to see him,'” Jeanette tells PEOPLE.
“He was reserved at first, but as soon as he went out with me, he changed,” he adds.
Velcro, senior dog with special needs, before adoption.
Karen Hardwick/Austin Pets Alive!
After spending time with thistle, Jeanette felt that the dog was meant for her. The dog’s special needs only made her want him even more.
“I wanted a dog that was calmer, and thistle fit the bill. He can’t jump; his back legs are weak. He can’t hunch over, which is another plus for a male dog,” shares Jeanette.
Dog that lost ‘limbs, ears, tail and toes’ to animal cruelty cares for foster puppies as he recovers
Shortly after meeting thistle, Jeanette brought the dog home and began the adoption process, which allows the shelter and adopter to help the pet adjust to its new home by providing at-home behavior counseling and lifelong adoption support.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(563x421:565x423)/dog-befriends-senior-031324-3-a01884f2c6bf499989f3181c193e690d.jpg)
Velcro rescue dog.
Karen Hardwick/Austin Pets Alive!
After a few days with Jeanette, Velcro “became more personal.” He still behaved like a “calm old gentleman”, but also “lively”.
Now, “he’s trotting in the yard,” Jeanette says, a behavior APA has never seen from a dog in its two-year stay.
“He just blossomed,” adds the pet parent.
APA posted a video on Instagram documenting Velcro’s transformation. In the video, the formerly shy and slow dog happily jumps for Jeanette as the couple trots around the yard.
Since welcoming Velcro, Jeanette has dedicated herself to “spoil the canine wilderness.”
Velcro has large dog beds scattered around his new home, so there’s always room to sunbathe. Jeanette showers him with pats, praise and Pup-Peroni treats — Velcro’s favorite. The dog also joins Jeanette on leisurely walks outside.
“I’m not that energetic, but it gives me a reason to get out in the fresh air and walk in the woods,” says Jeanette, adding, “We don’t walk, we walk.”
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
When Jeanette and Velcro aren’t walking side by side, they can still be found together.
“He’s never more than two feet from me. That’s why I renamed him Velcro. If I get up, he gets up. Wherever I go, he follows me. If I’m up and moving, he’s up and moving with me,” says Jeanette.
She adds that her home “has always been owned and operated solely for the pleasure and comfort of dogs” because pets give “so much love.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(602x140:604x142)/dog-befriends-senior-031324-4-d9a85eb152dc4fafab8cf5fd71419100.jpg)
Velcro, an elderly rescue dog with his new owner, Jeanette.
Karen Hardwick/Austin Pets Alive!
Jeanette hopes her story of thistle adoption will inspire others, especially seniors, to consider pets for seniors.
“I hate to see those older dogs abandoned,” she says, “Velcro is so happy to be out of that shelter.”
‘Extinguish’ Senior Dog Surrendered After 11 Years with Family Finds New Home Thanks to Viral Video (Exclusive)
“It’s nice for older people to have an older dog because you don’t have to try to keep up with them. And it’s companionship,” adds Jeanette.
Of course, adopting an older pet means that you will probably have to say goodbye to them sooner than to a younger animal.
“You have to be prepared for it. But if you can take the loss, the joy of having them is more than worth it,” says Jeanette.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education