My Old Dog

Seniors and Their Pets

April 30, 2022 at 1:05 p.m.

Remy and Sister Virginia Johnson, from the book “My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts,” by Laura T. Coffey, photos by Lori Fusaro

"MY OLD DOG: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts," by Seattle journalist Laura T. Coffey with photographs by Lori Fusaro, just might be the happiest book you’ll ever read. It shares success stories that show how blissful retirement can be for older dogs who get rescued, and how life-changing senior dog adoption can be for the humans who do the rescuing.

One of the many remarkable stories in the book is about Remy, a 9-year-old pit bull adopted by three senior nuns. The Sisters walked into an animal shelter and said they’d like to see a dog that nobody wanted. To Sisters Veronica Mendez, Virginia Johnson and Alice Goldsmith, the request made perfect sense. Why not adopt an animal most in need? That mindset led them to Remy, a 9-year-old pit bull that had been overlooked by shelter visitors for more than three months. “As soon as I saw the sign that said ‘9 years,’ I said, ‘This is the one,’” recalled Sister Veronica, 71. “‘No one is going to want this one.’”

The nuns’ connection with the dog was immediate. Remy was docile; Remy was sweet. And when given a moment to mingle with the sisters at the shelter, Remy leaned her head into Sister Virginia’s chest and sighed.

“She just got right up there,” said Sister Virginia, 79. “She said, ‘This must be my new family.’ ”

For the nuns, a four-legged addition to their convent could not come fast enough. They were grieving the loss of their dog Kate, a gregarious mutt who had been a boundless source of energy and comedy in their lives.
The sisters rattled around their house crying for one week before they decisively hopped into their car. Their mission: Rescue a shelter animal on death row. The nuns said they had no concerns about adopting a pit bull because they could tell how good-natured Remy was. They decided not to dwell on Remy’s age, either.

“Our feelings were that she was in danger of being euthanized, and we wanted to give her the best three or four years she has left,” Sister Veronica said. “Here we are, three senior sisters, so we adopted a senior pet!”

MY OLD DOG features a foreword by singer/ songwriter Neko Case, caregiving and training tips by Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker, and a comprehensive resource guide that outlines all sorts of ways to help older shelter dogs across North America and around the world. This special book became a national bestseller and went into its second printing very quickly. It is available at books stores and Amazon.com. NOTE -Northwest Prime Time first published a longer version of this story in our July/August 2016 issue.