Coco is living proof that it is never too late to find your bliss!
This 12-year-old cutie was picked up by animal services and brought to LifeLine Animal Project‘s Fulton County shelter an astonishing six times in one year! Finally, her owner had enough. He threatened to euthanize Coco.
“The last time she came in, her owner told us that she was a burden and he was going to have her euthanized by his vet,” LifeLine Animal Project’s Public Relations Director, Karen Hirsch told iHeartDogs. “We all had fallen in love with this sweet dog, and our Surrender Counselor Kim Meeks begged her owner to let us keep Coco so we could try to find her a home.”
At first the man refused, but he must have had a change of heart because he never came to retrieve Coco from the shelter. After the appropriate waiting period, her pals at LifeLine began searching for a worthy family to adopt her.
“We knew Coco deserved a family who would love her as much as she loved them,” Hirsch said, “and that is exactly what she found!”
Alicia and Eric McIntyre were already experienced at rescuing and caring for senior dogs when they welcomed Coco into their home. Her veterinarian discovered that not only is she missing most of her teeth, Coco also has a collapsed trachea and was shot with a pellet gun sometime in her past.
Despite her flaws, the McIntyres embraced Coco just as she is, and thanks to them, her days of pain and lonliness are over. They cannot erase her past, but in the six months since her adoption, they have been going above and beyond to ensure her future is full of joy and love!
Soon after her rescue, Alicia and Eric took Coco on her very first trip to the pet supply store to choose a special toy. Enter Chuck – an odd combination of chicken and duck.
Coco really likes Chuck!
But even more than she loves her strange chicken-duck hybrid, Coco loves her mom and dad. According to Alicia, she is a bit of a daddy’s girl!
But if Eric isn’t available, any lap will do. Coco even loves the couple’s grandchildren.
Alicia, Eric and Coco recently took a family vacation to St. Augustine Beach in Florida. The loving couple pulled her around in a wagon to protect her old joints from the difficulty of walking through sand…
They fit her with sunglasses to shield her delicate eyes from the glare…
And they even purchased a special tent to keep her cool and safeguard her from the harsh rays of the sun!
I think it’s safe to say that Coco is finally living the good life!
When asked why they chose to rescue a senior dog, Alicia told iHeartDogs:
“Senior dogs are ready to be loved. In our experience, a senior dog is grateful. They seem to appreciate kindness, snuggling, and give so much love.”
Keep up with Coco and her new life with her loving family on Instagram! If you are looking to add a new furry friend to your family, consider adopting a special senior like Coco. LifeLine Animal Project has several deserving dogs at their two Atlanta-area shelters, or you can find seniors in your local area with a simple Pet Finder search!
