MY OLD DOG

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.

“No Dog Should Die Alone” was the attention-grabbing, heart-stirring headline of a website story that was the genesis of the book. Laura Coffey, who is an editor and producer for TODAY.com (the website of NBC’s TODAY Show) posted the story about photographer Lori Fusaro’s work with senior shelter pets.

While generally calm, easy and already house-trained, these animals often represent the highest-risk population at shelters. With gorgeous, joyful photographs and sweet, funny, true tales of “old dogs learning new tricks,” Coffey and Fusaro show that adopting a senior can be even more rewarding than choosing a younger dog. You’ll meet endearing elders like Marnie, the irresistible shih tzu who has posed for selfies with Tina Fey, James Franco and Betty White; George Clooney’s cocker spaniel, Einstein; and Bretagne, the last known surviving search dog from Ground Zero. They may be slower moving and a tad less exuberant than puppies, but these pooches prove that adopting a senior brings immeasurable joy, earnest devotion and unconditional love.

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

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.

The information for this article was provided by www.MyOldDogBook.com and from Laura T. Coffey’s TODAY.com articles. Photographs by Lori Fusaro. The book is available at bookstores and Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/My-Old-Dog-Rescued-remarkable/dp/1608683400