Fostering a senior dog isn’t always going to be easy, and comes with its own challenges when compared to looking after a younger pup. But it’s well worth it for two friends who have given a 19-year-old Labrador Retriever mix the best four months of her life.
Annie’s previous dog parent surrendered her to a Dallas Animal Services shelter over the summer. Due to her age and poor health, veterinarians thought that she’d only have a month to live. As a result, the shelter shared her story online, reaching out to potential foster parents.
The “Best Dang Month”
Laura Siler spotted the post, and told PEOPLE that she knew she had to find out how to get the pup. Along with her best friend and roommate Lisa Flores, she contacted Dallas Animal Services. They directed her to The Pawerful Rescue, who had been taking care of Annie while she waited for a foster home.
Laura describes the shelter as being “very transparent about Annie’s condition … the vets estimated we would have a month”. Despite this, the two friends decided to go ahead and foster the pup to give her the “best dang month”.
To cram as much fun into a month, Laura and Lisa created a bucket list. At first, it involved exciting and canine-friendly activities like car rides, swimming, a birthday party, and Christmas in July. But, after a month, with the 19-year-old pup still doing well, they kept adding to the list.
Annie’s Okay
“She has had over 500 Valentines sent to her for Valentine’s Day in August, made paintings, been a chef and made homemade dog treats, hosted baby showers, gone on a hamburger tour, and so much more,” said Laura. Alongside Lisa, she shares updates on Annie via Instagram.
“I think she quickly learned that living here was ‘the good life’, she continued. The pair happily “spoil her rotten” and say “Yes’ to every treat, she admitted. And looking at that face, it’s easy to see why.
You can keep updated on Annie’s activities through Instagram.
