Senior dogs are often left in shelters by their former owners. These dogs need love and care, too, even on their last days before they pass.
Two best friends from Dallas, Texas, took in a 19-year-old senior dog and made her last days magical, and gave her lots of love and care. Lauren Siler and Lisa Flores are best friends and roommates, and they live with their 18-year-old dog, Tippy.
“I was actually in Anchorage, Alaska, getting ready to board a flight back to Dallas, and I saw her picture posted, that somebody posted that she was at the shelter, and they were asking for rescue support,” Lauren told Good Morning America. “When I landed back in Dallas, I showed Lisa Annie’s picture, and she was like, ‘We have to get her.’”
The 2 women decided to foster the senior dog and planned to make her last days full of happiness and love. They welcomed Annie into their home.
Lisa instantly fell in love with Annie, a black Labrador retriever mix, and was excited to add her to their family. The best friends made a bucket list for Annie to enjoy life on her last days, and she became the main attraction of the Dallas Animal Foster Instagram page.
“The vet had said she’ll be lucky if it’s a month,” Lauren said. “I saw her sweet little face sitting in her poor little kennel.”
Since she arrived, Annie has celebrated an early Christmas season in July, received Valentine’s Day gifts, went on a hamburger tour, and had fun doing a professional photoshoot.
“We’re gonna get them cute little chef outfits and let them make some homemade dog treats,” Lauren said. “And then I think that we’re gonna try to do a chicken nugget tour, similar to the hamburger tour.”
Annie has received so much love from her owners, and the 2 best friends are encouraging everyone to give a home to senior pets, especially those who were abandoned in shelters.
“I think that we owe it to these animals,” Lauren explained. “They have lived their lives giving people joy and happiness and companionship, and we owe it to them to finish it out strong.”
The Pawerful Rescue of Royse City, Texas, a nonprofit founded by Stephanie Rowe and Duke Hemstree, supports Annie as she’s fostered by best friends Lauren Siler and Lisa Flores.
“Annie is about to have the best month of her 19 years,” Lauren wrote on Instagram. “She will know love. She will be treated like a princess and get lots of snuggles, ice cream, and hamburgers. When her time comes, and she tells us she is done, she won’t be alone at a shelter. We hope it inspires others to foster or adopt.”
“My saying through this whole process has been if you can’t adopt, then foster. If you can’t foster, then donate. If you can’t donate, then volunteer because there are so many ways that you can get involved with animal rescue, and it doesn’t have to mean taking an animal into your home forever,” Lauren explained.
Images credits: © Lauren Siler @dallasanimalfoster/Instagram
