Here's What Happens When You Adopt The Oldest Dog In The Shelter

Dogs end up in shelters for a number of reasons. Sometimes, their owners surrender them, and others, they're saved from the streets after running away from home or rescued from a neglectful or abusive situation. Regardless of the reason, every dog deserves a loving home. Sadly, many spend years at shelters, watching neighbor after neighbor leave with a happy family. This heartbreaking reality has led some people to request a senior dog, the oldest dog, or the dog that's had the longest stay at the shelter. Several adopters who have made this decision have publicly shared their experiences, and they include pleasant surprises and heartwarming moments.

The ASPCA estimates that shelter puppies find their fur-ever homes at a 60% adoption rate, compared to the 25% rate of senior dogs. People who prefer a young pet over an older one may assume that all puppies are easier to train. Others assume they can form a stronger bond with an 8-week-old dog than they could with a 12-year-old one. However, testimonies from families that have chosen to adopt a dog in their golden years tell a different story.

Fiona's circumstances made headlines on WMTV15 News in March 2024, which eventually led to her adoption just two weeks later. At 2 years of age, she was rescued and brought to 2nd Chance Shelter in Alabama, where she spent the next 11 years. Her journey then took her north to a foster-based rescue called Albert's Dog Lounge in Wisconsin, and the shelter's vice president, Lindsey Decker, began fostering her.

WMTV15 News got wind of her availability at the shelter and featured the announcement on television and online to help her finally get adopted. Shortly after the news segment aired, Decker contacted a family that submitted an adoption application to the shelter: the Saskowkis. The Saskowkis agreed on a meeting, so Decker brought Fiona to their home, which was everything Decker hoped it would be — complete with a spacious yard and other dogs. It didn't take long for her to warm up to her new home. 

"I saw her story online and was just so overwhelmed with sadness that she was in the shelter for so long," Carrie Saskowski told WMTV15, "No one would adopt her knowing how sweet she was. It was just so sad to me, and I thought, oh my gosh, could we have the best life together." Saskowski also shared her advice on senior dogs, "I really hope this kind of opens people's eyes to adopt seniors and to know that they are wonderful pets."

Sadly, dozens of shelter dogs all over the country capture the attention of someone and go home with them, only to be returned to the shelter days or weeks later. It happened to Stuart, twice. Emily Wozniak, a former Friends of Strays, Inc. employee, shared how heartbroken she felt that some dogs spend five or more years at a shelter. She posted about Stuart on TikTok with hopes of finding a family that would adopt and keep him, permanently.

@ewooozyy

Stuart possibly holds the record for the longest time in a shelter. 💔 Someone PLEASE come and adopt this sweet boy so he can live out the rest of his life comfortably and loved! for more information call 815-872-7387 Princeton, IL. #shelterdogs #adoptdontshop #worldrecord #nokillshelter

♬ Lights Are On – Tom Rosenthal

Stuart arrived at a shelter for the first time when he was only a year old, unaware that he would spend most of his life there. After watching Wozniak's video and learning that the pup had spent 14 cumulative years in an Illinois shelter, Repo's Rescue Founder Natalie Snyder couldn't stop thinking about him. Despite living five hours away, Snyder made the drive to meet the gentle-eyed pooch and eventually brought him home after deciding he would be the perfect addition to her family.

Although Stuart needed time to fully trust Snyder as his new, forever mom, he ultimately embraced his new life in her care. "He loves his orthopedic bed and exploring the backyard watching the birds," Snyder told The Dodo, "It's very emotional to watch him transition and experience life on his own terms."

Ask and you shall receive. Sometimes what you receive is better than you hoped for. This was the case for Kristen Brown when she walked into a Miami shelter in the spring of 2025 and asked to see the oldest dog. That was the day she met Jackie Lynn, a 12-year-old lab mix who had been at the shelter for three months and was due to be euthanized in two weeks. Shortly after, she adopted and brought her home. 

Her new canine companion helped fill a void left by a previous dog that passed from a brain tumor, and by her late father. "In my heartache ... I felt it was ... time to go to the shelter and pour my love into a new baby to help us heal, and she did," Brown told Newsweek. "People say I saved Jackie, but she saved us. She gave us light, laughter again, and love."

@kristentbrown

to my sweet 12 year old Jackie Lynn♥️ (I cried making this) #dogsoftiktok #doglover #adoptdontshop #shelterdog

♬ Landslide (2017 Remaster) – Fleetwood Mac

Jackie Lynn now enjoys just being a dog, rolling around on the grass in her new backyard alongside Brown's other fur babies. The happy dog mom shared the news on TikTok, where it helped viewers rethink their negative perceptions of adopting senior dogs. They may not be as fast, agile, or playful as a younger dog, but dogs in their golden years can still make wonderful, loveable companions.

These are just a few of the many stories with a happy ending involving the adoption of a senior dog from a shelter. Dogs spend an average of 35 days in some shelters before having a family fall in love with them. Other shelters could only dream of this number, as the average length of their dogs' stays is much longer. Sadly, some dogs die in these facilities of old age/natural causes or from being euthanized. The good news is, you can not only save a life by adopting a senior dog; you can improve or even extend it, and you and your new dog can enjoy a long list of benefits that you probably wouldn't with a puppy.

For starters, senior dogs are well past the chewing and destructive phase, so you probably won't need to worry about coming home to a shredded sofa or chewed-up furniture. They can also make great lap dogs and cuddlers while their younger counterparts may want to play for an hour or so before settling down for the day. 

Too busy to take your dog on long walks? No problem. Some senior dogs can only handle short distances anyway, or they prefer to hang out indoors or lie in the backyard. However, what you may consider the best reason to adopt a senior dog is that they get to spend their final years in a safe, comfortable environment that's far more spacious and enjoyable than a shelter kennel.