In a viral Instagram video, the dog playing with his owner may give the impression that he has known her for his entire life, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Racking up 3.6 million views, the video shows Jeanette, 74, playing chase with Velcro, the 10-year-old dog who hasn’t had it easy. The senior canine spent over 700 days in Austin Pets Alive! shelter in Texas until Jeanette came along.
The widow had recently faced the loss of her two senior dogs but knew she wanted to continue sharing her life with another pet who could benefit from her care and attention.
“When I found out he had been in the shelter for more than two years—I wanted to get him out as soon as I could and make sure he never has to return,” she told Newsweek.
Provided by Austin Pets Alive!
Jeanette, who doesn’t wish to share her surname, explained that Velcro, who was originally called Beluga, seemed “depressed and stressed.”
“I needed a dog, and he needed a home so it seemed like a perfect fit,” she explained.
The retired pensioner wasn’t put off by the Carolina dog mix’s special needs, which include arthritis and progressive neurological issues.
“He has given me something else to love. That’s a big thing for me; he loves and likes me,” she told Newsweek. “Dogs give unconditional love, and I can be myself, and there is always something there to be loved by.
“I have been widowed for 12 years, and that’s the man in my life, and he doesn’t talk back. He doesn’t have any annoying dog habits, in fact, he doesn’t really have any bad habits or small accidents because he is an older boy.”
The viral Instagram video shared on March, 8, is just a snippet of their thriving friendship.
Jeanette told Newsweek: “He does stick to my side a lot; that’s why I renamed him Velcro.
“He gives me someone to take care of. I need someone to care for, that’s who I am. I always want to make life a little bit better for people and dogs.”
Provided by Austin Pets Alive!
Karen Hardwick, a shelter volunteer, told Newsweek that she has visited the pair on several occasions.
“I am overjoyed to see how happy both he and Jeanette are together. They are so good for each other,” she said.
While Jeanette purposely adopted an older dog due to her old age, other senior canines aren’t so lucky. Hardwick, who has dedicated 11 years to the shelter, explained that senior dogs are often overlooked. But both women urge potential adopters to give older dogs a chance.
“Shelter seniors have been around the block and often come with years of experience in potty-training, skills like leash-walking, etc,” Hardwick told Newsweek. “They offer so much love, companionship and make the most of every single day.
“One of the reasons I advocate for the seniors is because they deserve to live their remaining days as pampered and beloved family pets.
“Shelter life can be rough on senior dogs’ mind, body and soul.
“We appreciate the adopters like Jeanette that want to give them the best life for whatever remaining time they have.”
Hardwick isn’t the only one who is thankful for Jeanette. Hundreds of thousands of Instagram users are too. At the time of writing, the heartwarming video of the duo has amassed over 428,000 likes and over 3,500 comments.
One user said: “They will keep each other ‘moving’!!! So wonderful when things work out so well!”
Another praised: “What a sweet lady and sweet pup, good for them both to find each other.”
“Seniors adopting seniors. It needs to be a thing,” suggested a third commenter.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.