Today is going to be a great day for twelve year old Honeybun. If the name sounds familiar, its because her plight was featured in Coming in threes . It was love at first sight for her new Mom and within a very short space of time, arrangements had been made for the adoption..
Today is going to be a great day for Honeybun's new Mom too ... as this is the day she gets to bring her new best friend home. Even though Honeybun is a kittycat ... the adoption was arranged through the Atlantic Boxer Rescue coordinator. Thats not as unusual as it sounds ... in the animal rescue world no one group has the resources to take care of everything. Still, sometimes the situation simply transcends even the most specialized niche.
Yes ... today is going to be a great day for them both. Honeybun will have the love and security and lifesaving safety of a fresh start in a home with a proven track record for lifetime commitment to their pets. Her new Mom has opened her home and her heart to a second cat for the first time ... so it was very sensible to choose a senior who has a proven track record for adjusting to new situations.
Anyone who reads this blog, or who has visited the homeless pet site, knows what a special affection this middle aged granny has for senior pets. The site is full of little tidbits like THE TOP TEN REASONS TO ADOPT A SENIOR DOG and Click Here to Learn about the Serenity of a Senior Pet .
Indeed there is a whole special section devoted to them on the site, because senior pets are so often overlooked by adopters as if they were appliances with warranties instead of living breathing sentient beings. The truth is that senior pets are often the bigger 'person' than many people are. They do not bring human hangups to the table and are willing to taking a second chance at love after their hearts have been broken.
In my perfect fantasy world there would be little need for animal rescue because all pets would spend their whole lives with their original guardians. But here in the real world that does not always happen.
I remember when McGuinness came here as a five pound little firecracker. Even then he had no sense of his size and had to finish many of his first walks tuckered out and tucked inside my parka on the way home. Unconditional love is a wonderful thing when its a two way street.... over the years McG has been happy and confident enough that he has tucked good dogs of all sizes in need under his paw.
When Chloe came here heartbroken because she had been superseded by a human baby, McG took her mind off her troubles by introducing her to the joys of having a doggy buddy. When Ben had to learn the home rules that came along with domestic bliss, McG was right by his side. The sight of a Scottish Terrier teaching a Golden Retriever how to swim is one that is not soon forgotten.
When Ruby came here, McG very generously shared his toys .... and was there to comfort her when we so suddenly and unexpectedly lost Ben. McG tucked Henry under his paw and helped him learn all the same lessons that Ben had needed to know.
He has taught us all so much over the years and now we have all have another lesson to learn. Yesterday McG passed away quietly at home.... and now we must all of us learn how to fill the very big space that such a small little man has left behind.
Time is such a trickster. At the end of the day it does not matter how many years that we get to share space with our (often better than human) companion animals. I've lived with young pets and I've lived with old pets and I'm here to tell you that seniors shine a special light into any space they share.
This Wednesday, Petfinder has declared a new thing..... August 12th is Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet Day!!! They did a survey and found that senior pets are at the top of the 'hardest to find homes for' list.
In all honesty, if people knew about the Zen of old pets, there would never be enough available for adoption. Honeybun's new Mom is about to discover the real truth about adopting a senior pet . "You might not be their first love, but you will be their best and last."
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