Old dogs deserve loving homes to spend their remaining days in, but sadly some seniors are heartlessly given up by their owners and end up in shelters.
That was the case for one 18-year-old dog who was dumped by his former family, and seemed destined to spend the rest of his life in the shelter — until one woman stepped in to make his final days magical ❤️
Benji, a senior Chihuahua, was surrendered to a shelter by his former owners, losing his home at the ripe old age of 18.
It’s difficult for senior dogs to find new homes, especially ones at such an advanced age, and it seemed likely that Benji would spend the rest of his days in a kennel.
But after just 2 days in the shelter, a woman named Emi Wright saw and knew it was meant to be. While Benji was a hospice dog, she was determined to bring him home and make the most out of whatever time he had left.
“We knew we needed to make your last days the best ones,” Emi wrote in a TikTok.
Though Benji’s eyes, cloudy with cataracts, showed his age, he still had a lot of life left in him. Emi wrote that the dog hung on for months, making it through the summer through Halloween and Christmas, all the way to his 19th birthday!
Photos show the little dog having the time of his life, celebrating all these moments with his new mom. It’s clear that Benji lived his life to the fullest to the very end.
But eventually, it was time to say goodbye. Emi wrote that Benji has passed on, forever leaving a “Benji sized hole in our hearts.”“I love you forever my sweet old man,” she wrote on TikTok.
The video went viral, and many people were moved by the story, thanking Emi for giving Benji such a great second chance after he was heartlessly given up as a senior.
@emwright22 I love you forever my sweet old man. #seniordog #hospicedog #adoptionstory #seniorchihuahua
“18 and dumped in a shelter is Diabolical 😭😭 I hate people,” one comment on TikTok reads. “Thank you for saving this sweet baby.”
“You are a beautiful soul. Thank you for giving Benji the best final months he could have possibly dreamed of,” another wrote.
“Thank you for being this little man’s guardian angel,” another added. “Your love was exactly the comfort and protection he needed in the end.”
It’s unbelievable that anyone would surrender their 18-year-old dog, but we’re glad Benji found a great new home and spent his final months being loved ❤️