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By Liz O'Connell
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A senior dog surrendered to a Philadelphia shelter after her family was left homeless can now rest easy, thanks to a foster couple that stepped up.
Alisyn Davidson and her fiancé have been fostering animals from Philly Rescue Angels for the past six months. When they saw the shelter's post about 14-year-old Jade, it instantly broke their hearts. Jade's family could no longer take care of her after they were left homeless, forcing them to make the difficult decision to surrender her.
For a dog Jade's age, being left at a shelter can mean being "left alone to die." Senior dogs have a 25 percent adoption rate, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). By contrast, puppies and younger dogs have a 60 percent adoption rate.
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The day after the couple saw Jade's story, they decided to foster her. In a May 19 TikTok video posted to Davidson's account, @alisynnn333, Jade goes through a night-and-day transformation, from being left alone at the shelter to receiving a new chance at life.
"I immediately said I'd foster her, and within days of her being in our home, we bonded with her and decided to adopt her," Davidson told Newsweek via TikTok.
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Upon bringing Jade home, they discovered she had untreated dental problems and arthritis. She wobbled while she walked and couldn't climb stairs. They have since started her on arthritis medicine.
Davidson said you can tell Jade is feeling the best she's ever felt, and the couple is hopeful she has a few more years left. Jade is settling into her new home, but Davidson believes the transition has been only OK. She said a dog Jade's age is only looking for a comfortable bed, consistent food and loving owners. Thankfully, Jade is getting all three in Davidson's home.
"If Philly Rescue Angels and myself didn't come forward, it's likely she would have been euthanized down the road to make space for incoming dogs in the overcrowded city shelter," Davidson said.
Each year, 6.3 million pets enter U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the ASPCA. The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, 24Petwatch's Shelter Watch Report found.
Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
Viewer Reactions
The TikTok video quickly touched people's hearts, and by Wednesday, the clip had reached 85,600 views, 15,800 likes and 876 comments.
"People who adopt seniors have golden hearts," said one viewer.
Another pointed out: "Omg, her smile in the car after looking absolutely shattered. What a pretty girl! Bless you."
A third user wrote: "Thank you for saving her. You truly changed her life around. Every dog deserves love and a soft bed."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
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