A 14-year-old miniature Poodle was dropped off at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa when his family decided to move away and not take their pet with them. For the next four months, Shey waited for someone to adopt him.
The dog was suffering from dental disease and had never been neutered, so he was scheduled for surgery and vet care. Shey only had one tooth that wasn’t fully rotted. And a dog who is deaf, half-blind, and nearly toothless isn’t usually the top choice for potential adopters.
But none of that mattered to a young boy named Tristan. He arrived at the shelter with his Mom looking for a small dog who loves to cuddle, and the staff suggested Shey. The miniature Poodle is super sweet and loves people, so the workers figured they’d be a perfect match.
The little boy took a seat ready to meet the dog. And when the staff placed Shey onto his lap, Tristan couldn’t stop smiling. The two hit it off right away! As the adoption staff went over Shey’s special needs, it didn’t discourage the boy. In fact, he was more than willing to do everything possible for the sweet little dog.
Tristan pulled out the calendar on his phone and saved the dates for when he’d need to bring Shey to the vet in the future. He listened carefully to everything they said, and he even told them about the special spot he set up in his room for his new dog. 🙂
Tristan asked a lot of questions and showed how mature he is for his age. The boy was eager and invested, so the pairing was a no-brainer for the staff. And the fact that he wanted to adopt a senior dog didn’t hurt.
Shey is now in his new home with his new family, and they couldn’t be happier. The dog may have been abandoned and left for months waiting for a new friend, but Tristan is doing everything possible to make up for lost time.
This is such an amazing story. Tristan sounds like the perfect person to take care of Shey, and we’re so happy that they found each other! 🙂
Photo credits: Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Heather Reese/Facebook
h/t The Dodo
