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By Jack Beresford
Senior Reporter
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A pair of bonded senior dogs found themselves in the shelter and facing an uncertain future after 12 happy years together.
Jagger, a male Labrador retriever mix and Maya, a female German shepherd, arrived at Miami Dade Animal Shelter on Thursday, February 19, in the wake of a family tragedy that shattered the life they once knew.
“Their owner passed away,” Maria Incorvaia told Newsweek. “Unfortunately it was said the owner's family couldn’t take care of them so that's why they surrendered.”
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Incorvaia met Maya and Jagger during a visit to the shelter two days after they had arrived.
“I go to shelters frequently, take dogs out on pawventures with the hope to help them get adopted faster while also helping them decompress from how loud, messy, and stressful shelters can be,” she said.
“That's when I inquired about them and one of the shelter volunteers shared their story with me. They were in a room together, they were super calm but you could see the sadness and confusion in their eyes.”
Though their situation was heartbreaking, meeting Incorvaia was the best thing that could have happened to Maya and Jagger in that situation.
Incorvaia runs Gizmo’s Paw Prints Project, a non-profit initiative that focuses on helping shelter dogs find their forever homes.
“I started this project after losing my own dog, Gizmo, whom I adopted at three years old and loved deeply until he passed away at 16,” Incorvaia said. “His journey showed me the profound impact that adoption can have, not only on a dog’s life, but on the human who loves them!”
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Incorvaia understood that, as senior dogs, the odds were stacked against Maya and Jagger finding forever home. According to the ASPCA, senior dogs have a 25 percent adoption rate, compared to 60 percent among younger dogs and puppies.
She was determined to improve their chances though. Posting to Instagram and TikTok under the handle @gizmospawprintsproject, she shared Maya and Jagger’s story with her followers.
Since posting about them, Incorvaia has received an update from the foster department at the Miami Dade Animal Shelter. They confirmed that Maya and Jagger had been taken in by Sniff N Go Rescue, a Miami-based rescue, that will provide the pair with a temporary home and space to rest and rehabilitate after everything they have been through.
“They will be using their resources and network to help them find a forever home; however they still need all of our help,” Incorvaia said.
Someone still needs to step forward and offer to adopt not one but two senior dogs. “Jagger and Maya are bonded and it is important they are adopted together,” Incorvaia said. “They need a calm, loving home that can allow them to enjoy the last few years they have left.”
After seeing their life turned upside down in heartbreaking circumstances beyond their control, Maya and Jagger’s future depends on someone stepping up.
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