Success Stories
Livy's family sent this sweet pic of her on her Birthday! They said this:
Dec 6 was Livy's 9th Birthday! We had a fun day playing with the family, and ended it off with a big birthday treat!
Lily's Story:
Just like a lot of other people I saw Lily’s photo posted on Furever Young’s Facebook page on June 19th. She had been found on the side of the road. A guy (aka Angel in my book) pulled in to check on what he thought was a dead dog but instead found a very old girl who was just hanging on. I couldn’t shake from my mind this little dog named “Lily” and found myself messaging Furever Young on a daily basis to check on this little girl and to offer up a private room at my personal retirement doggie home.
Imagine my surprise a few days later on June 24th that our little miracle trooper dog was well enough to leave the vet hospital but didn’t have a home to go home to. She was an old girl who was suffering with dementia, blind and not house broken so considered unadoptable. Did I mention she also had an enlarged heart and a skin condition plus allergies and infected eyes? So not the type of dog that many people would want to take on, but I knew from first glance that this old girl would fit in at our home. Kelsey and Dr. Wilson both were so grateful that I was giving Lily a chance at our home and reassured me that if it didn’t work they would totally understand.
On June 24th Lily came home with me. The poor old girl had unbelievable anxiety and cried and howled and I wondered “Will this work? What have I done?” But she loved her old belly and that gave me hope since she was eating. She hadn’t given up on life. We put in a few hard nights at first. I bought a play pen to keep her safe during the night and eventually she settled in. We did some research and found a medication that helped Lily with her dementia and her sleep (and mine!) improved greatly.
Suddenly there was no more pacing, crying or howling with anxiety and this old girl had learned the lay of the land and she knew where was the doggie beds, water and food. She started to love being up in my arms for a little cuddle and a few kisses. She was home-she knew it and so do I. This little Lily Bear has learned life is good with snuggles from blankets straight out of the dryer and Saturday night bath sessions when she falls asleep after being dried with the hairdryer. She has 4 sisters that check on her if she makes a peep and curl up and share their beds with her. She has gotten used to wearing her diapers and loves the fact they are snuggle and keeps her nice and warm. She goes for a trot in the garden with her little nose so close to the ground taking in every scent. I am so sure that her nose is what kept her alive on the street.
I have no idea what Lily’s past really was but I know her future. She has found her home, she has found her pack and she feels safe and secure. This is her furever more and I am so glad to take this ride with her. This old lady has sniffed out our hearts and built a cozy little nest there and we could not imagine it any other way!
Just look at sweet Gabe!! He is really enjoying his new life with the sweetest and most loving family!! Another lucky doggie to have found such a wonderful forever home. They just love him so much and couldn't be happier to have this precious boy!!
Bubba, was surrendered to the SPCA, but as he has FIV, FurEver Young took him into care and found a furever home for this handsome boy. This is what his dad had to say:
"Bubba has been living with an 11 year old boy and his dad since February 2016. As a 10 year old cat he likes to be next to you. In the bedroom, bathroom, and living room. Bubba won't sit on your lap...he only wants to purr at your side and hope for a rub. He is content laying around mostly. However occasionally needs to attack your feet. He's a funny character! We enjoy him!"
Harley was surrendered to us in January 2015 after his owner could no longer care for him. He stayed with Kelsey at the time in her home as he had some behavioural issues that needed to be addressed. With the help of Ken Reid - Kelsey managed to deal with Harley's excitable and sometimes aggressive tendencies and after 4 months with her in foster care - she decided to adopt this boy!
Harley is now 11 years old and lives with Kelsey and her two other dogs and 2 cats. Harley has come such a long way from not being able to be in the company of other dogs to attending large group walks and cuddling with his fur sisters! Harley is the ONLY boy in the house so he gets lots of attention from his mom!
Kelsey jokes that Harley is 11 years going on 2 years old - despite his arthritis - you would never say he is a senior with his energy level!
Molly, a 13 year old, Labrador Retriever Mix, was adopted through FurEver Young in August 2015. She settled into her new home quickly and is very much loved by her family, including her yellow lab brother, Jessy.
Molly is full of life and runs through the woods like a 3 year old dog. She enjoys her daily walks but loves to swim even more! At home she is happy to curl up beside you with her head on your lap. Molly's mom and dad say: "Molly is the sweetest and most loveable girl! We couldn't be happier that she is a part of our family. It feels like she's always been with us."
Shelby, a seven year old German Sheppard, was surrendered to FurEver Young in early January 2015 after living outdoors for a period of time. She was placed into a foster home where she received some much needed TLC, and began searching for a permanent furever home. During this time, she lost a significant amount of weight and was placed on a strict doggy diet. This helped prepare her to be spayed, as she was just over 115 pounds and overweight for her size.
On February 14th, Shelby went to her forever home. She now has a home that she shares with a young Rottie mix named Honey, a friendly cat friend, and has a huge fenced backyard to play in. She went through
obedience training with her adoptive family and successfully lost some more weight. Shelby loves to curl up with her adopted family, and also loves to go for walks that she gets on a daily basis.
Recently, Shelby received bilateral knee surgery and recovered amazingly! The love and care she receives from her new home is beyond phenomenal and the special bond they have together is one of a kind.
Bella was one of the first dogs to come the care of FurEver Young. She stayed at "Furever Young Headquarters" for about 4 weeks until she went into an amazing foster home on Christmas Eve of 2014!
Bella and her foster mom bonded immediately and were able to give each other the company they needed to get through the holidays. Bella's foster mom provided Bella with excellent care and so much love! We wish to extend our deepest amounts of gratitude to Janice - Bella's foster mom - for being there for Bella and putting the much needed time and effort in. You were the bridge between what was and what will be - thank you for that!
While under the care of Furever Young, Bella was also spayed at Avalon Animal Hospital and provided with her necessary vaccinations. Thank you to the kind and generous supporters for your donations!
Bella was officially adopted on Wednesday February 18th, 2015! To Bella's new owners - thank you for finding Bella and reaching out to FurEver Young! We know you will spoil her and give her the most love in the world - she deserves it! We have no doubt in our minds that Bella has found the perfect home and she will be loved for the rest of her days!
*Finally, a special thank you to Beverly for bringing Bella to our attention*
Madison, is this beautiful 14 year old kitty! She was surrendered to FurEver Young in July 2015. One of Madison's owners passed away leaving the other owner to have to enter into a Seniors Residence. With no where to go, Madison's extended family reached out to FurEver Young and she was taken in as a foster by Kelsey.
Madison was very reluctant to be around other animals and humans at first - she would hiss whenever Kelsey would go visit her downstairs. Over time, Madison gradually warmed up to her new surroundings and offered a few purrs and head butts to Kelsey. After a couple months, she was adopted by Kelsey and has been living with her ever since.
Madison has warmed up tremendously to her fur brothers and sisters - but still is not a huge cuddler. This senior kitty has found a place to call home for her retirement days. She loves to lay out on the patio on sunny days and likes to drink from the running tap. She is such a beautiful girl!
Zeke, an almost 11 year old Springer Spaniel/Labrador Retriever Mix, came into FurEver Young’s care due to a change in his family’s circumstances. He now has a new family and even though he is almost 11 years old, he still acts like a puppy in the snow. His new family says he is settling in really well and that they love to see his smiling face when they get home after a long day. They say they are looking forward to some more golden years with this beautiful dog.
Maggie May, a 15 year old, Hound/Terrior Mix, was surrendered to Furever Young in January of 2016 and by March this loveable senior was cozy in her new retirement home. Her new family is amazing and she has another senior friend, Lola the retriever! She's by far the happiest old gal around, and still doing her famous dance. She has her own space with a comfy warm bed, bowls at just the right height for her small stature and a bunch of people who love her to pieces! Happy Furever ending for Maggie May!
Meeka, is a nine year old, Shitzu. This little princess was saved from death row. She was brought to Sunrise Vet clinic to be euthanized by her owners. However, the staff at Sunrise had a different agenda, Meeka was surrendered to FurEver Young Senior Animal Rescue and given a second chance at life. Her new family had this to say about her:
“Meeka is fantastic! She fit into our family perfectly. She is my little baby, the sweetest, most loving dog. We have another dog Mya, who is only 1.5 years, and a cat Smudge, who is 4. Meeka and Mya play a lot. At first, I was worried about this due to Meeka's age, but she seems to like it. I think it keeps her young. She was trained so well when she came to us and she communicates extremely well. She makes a little noise if she wants something, such as water, food, or to go outside. She gives us a chance to come to her and if we do not right away, she will let out a little bark.
Her and Mya sleep on our bed every night. She comes up close to me when we wake for morning cuddles and rolls around for affection. She still sometimes doesn't know what to think about Smudge, but that is coming along as well. When she first comes inside after being let out in the morning, she jumps around like a young dog looking for a treat! It is so cute.
It is not always about what we can do for these animals who need homes and love; it is also about what they do for us. I feel so much love for this little dog. She brings a smile to my face every day and she brought joy to our family. My little girl loves her. She often goes to bed with my daughter first and then joins us later”.
Joey’s new family had this update to give:
“Joey is very well; is very relaxed, settled and content. He's a very docile, laid-back, affectionate cat who mostly sleeps all day. At (21 lbs.), he's an extra-large, furry bundle of affection and joy who makes me smile and laugh every day. He's a "dude cat" as the vet called him.
He has a funny habit of walking on me and sleeping on me! Being so heavy, those weighted paws can sure dig into my chest and ribs! He has even stretched out on me when I'm lying on my side! He also has a humorous habit of lying on me "arse foremost"! Nonetheless, he's a purring pleasure and keeps me company on the couch, in the kitchen or in bed. He's my buddy.
Joey loves to eat and is not fussy. Having been feed table scraps by his previous owners, he also is curious to know what I'm having for supper. I've learned he likes nachos, bacon on pizza and cheese!”
He's about 10 and doesn't play much. So I've tried to reduce his food and have been feeding him diet food for two months. And despite his going outside the past month, he only does so for a few seconds or minutes. Oh well. Maybe he's not much of an outdoor cat after all -- certainly not a winter cat!
Maggie, a 10 year old terrior mix, was adopted in February 2016. She is a very sweet and playful girl and so lucky to have found such a great home.
Maggie's mom says: "Maggie brings us both such happiness. She's a precious senior dog who loves to go for little walks and snuggle in under the covers with you at night. Rescuing this sweet baby was one of the best decisions we've made".
Sasha Barney
Barney, age 12, and Sasha, age 9, were placed in a foster home in November. They were very reserved and a little scared. After about a month, it was like they had lived there their entire lives.
Suddenly, they came alive and their foster mom and dad quickly fell in love with their unique personalities. They then decided to adopt Sasha and Barney!
This is what their new mom and dad said: "They love to go for their daily walks and play fetch. They also love to snuggle up on the couch with us and watch a movie. They are two of the most gentle dogs we've ever met and it is a pleasure to call them ours."
Koda
Keira
Koda and Keira, both 9 years old, have been together since the beginning. They were surrendered together, and are completely bonded. In order to keep these two seniors together, FurEver Young paid for boarding until somebody took them both, together.
These two inseperable pups are currently in a permanent foster home. This is what their foster parents had to say:
"In October 2015, I chose that I wanted to welcome a dog back in my life. It had been a really long time since I had been a dog owner, despite having dogs all my life. I met and was inspired by Kelsey and her mission to help senior animals. Koda and Keira are an odd looking brother and sister and yet keeping them together was a goal we were happy to help achieve. Looking after Koda and Keira is so rewarding! I've come to love both of them very much and they fit very well with my cat, Neesa. She is a old cat but she is the boss and beats up on them if they annoy her. Koda gets the worse of it although he's never chased her or growled at her. I actually think she loves him as she will follow him outside and they lie on the deck together. He' is a very loving dog, he "whoo's" for his breakfast till he gets everything he thinks he deserves , which includes half of my breakfast also! He dances all the way to the recliner where I get my tea and half a blueberry muffin while he gets the other half. Keira is very needy and likes to be close to someone at all times, she sleeps with her "daddy" but if he isn't at home she sleeps with Neesa and I. It's amazing that Neesa shares the bed with her because they are very competitive with each other and they fight like " cats and dogs" lol I think Koda is half wolf because of the way he throws back his head and howls! Keira is like a small greyhound because of her running ability! Thank you so much for allowing us to foster them, they bring joy to my life"
Dexter is a beautiful Cocker Spaniel was adopted from FurEver Young after a trial visit in September 2015, as his new family instantly fell in love.
This is what his new family had to say:
"He has a great temperment and loves everyone. When we got him he was over weight and needed a little vet care. He could not endure any strenuous exercise but now we are trying to keep up with him during our walks. He loves playing with his toys and brings one to whoever comes to the house. Dexter has a great home with my parents and he is loved and greatly cared for by them."