Rescued 16-Year-Old Dog Smiles His Approval All The Way To His New Home

Kathryn LaRoche found it difficult to live alone during the pandemic. When her 20-year-old cat died, she decided she wanted to welcome another older animal into her home.

“It was a truly heartbreaking experience, but it taught me how wonderful senior pets can be,” LaRoche told The Dodo.

Browsing the Indy Humane website, she came across Sonny. The 16-year-old dog was found as a stray on Indianapolis’ streets, and despite being microchipped, all attempts to contact his original owners had failed.

LaRoche immediately fell in love with his sweet gray face and knew that his age could make it difficult for him to find another home. So she decided the decision to go to the shelter and meet him.

“I spent the days leading up to the meeting making sure I had everything ready at home for him,” LaRoche explained, “so that if he did come home with me, he would have beds and toys.”

When the day came, LaRoche walked into the shelter and asked to meet their oldest resident. Sonny was brought outside by the shelter volunteers, and LaRoche knew he’d be coming home with her the moment she saw him.

“They said I could spend about 30 minutes with him to make a decision, but I went in to fill out the paperwork after five,” LaRoche said. “I could tell he was nervous meeting new people, but he was such a happy, easy-going old man that I knew he’d be perfect for me.”

Riding home with LaRoche, Sonny couldn’t stop smiling.

Sonny wants to be as close to his new mom as possible in his new home.

“He did make it very clear from the first night that he wanted to sleep in the bed with me under the covers,” LaRoche said. “So, despite the fact that I had not intended for him to be a bed dog, he is now!”

Though Sonny is a laid-back senior, LaRoche has enjoyed watching his fun-loving side come out. He’s started playing with his new toys, and he gets excited to go for a walk whenever he sees his winter jacket come out.

And Sonny makes sure to show his mom just how much he appreciates her. “It’s only been a few days, but I can already tell he’s starting to trust me more, and he’s become super cuddly,” LaRoche said. “He is constantly wanting to be in the same room as me.”

Things have worked out better than LaRoche could’ve imagined, now that she and Sonny have each other.

“He honestly seems like a dream dog and I can’t believe I got to bring him home,” LaRoche said. “He still has so much love to give, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to be able to spoil him for the rest of his days.”