While we are still trying to make peace with the death of Angel earlier this month, and the passing of Prince earlier this week, another icon pup has crossed the rainbow bridge. Susie, the pup behind
Susie's Senior Dogs, has passed away. It seems like 2016 has been one rough year as far as the death of these pups is concerned.
Image Credit: Susie's Senior Dogs / Today.com
Friday evening, the
Facebook page of Susie's Senior Dogs has announced that Susie, the Chihuahua mix, had passed peacefully away. Erin O'Sullivan, the founder of Susie's Senior Dogs, and one of the humans of the 17-year-old Chihuahua mix wrote:
“It hurts the heart so much, but Susie’s dad and I were so privileged to have her for the last five years of her nearly 17-year long life… Thank you to everyone who has regularly followed Susie’s journey and cared so much about her. Most importantly, thank you to everyone who has been inspired by Susie to adopt an old dog of your own. She is the first of adopted seniors in our own personal lives and we would adopt her again 100 times over. Susie was a gift and she has certainly spurred a movement bigger than she will ever know.”
Some people know the story that led Susie to live with her human Brandon Stanton. Brandon is a photographer, and he is Erin's fiance. Many people know the stunning pictorials of Brandon,
"Humans of New York".
Back in 2011, Brandon was walking around his neighborhood in Bedstuy, New York when he came across an older man sitting with Susie. At this time, the beloved Chihuahua mix pup was 11-year-old, and according to Brandon interview with Today.com, when he saw her, he thought to himself, "That is the coolest dog I have ever seen". There is no wonder that he loved to stop to get a picture of her.
When Brandon posted Susie's photo to his blog with the caption: " This is the best dog", he just had no idea how right he was.
Image Credit: Humans of New York / The Blot
A week later to the first meeting between Brandon and Susie, the pup's owner saw him again. He told him that he saw how much he liked Susie and asked if he would like to take her as his new wife said that he could not keep her.
Brandon was not in the best financial position, and friends tried to convince him to get a puppy instead of a senior pup that had few years to live. However, Susie had already "charmed" Brandon, besides, he felt compelled to take the adorable Chihuahua mix home.
Image Credit: Susie the Dog / Facebook
Brandon wrote his own statement on the Facebook page of
Humans of New York:
“[Taking in Susie] was one of the best decisions I ever made… Erin and I are both very thankful that Susie came into our lives. She was such a special friend. She was my introduction to the love of dogs. And she helped Erin discover her purpose in life. So in a way she is going to stick around forever.”
Image Credit: Susie's Senior Dogs / Today.com
Over the years, Brandon and Erin fell more and more in love with the adorable senior Chihuahua. Susie had inspired Erin to create a Facebook Page called
"Susie The Dog".
As the page of "Susie the Dog" started getting a lot of fans, Erin began thinking to use it to help other senior dogs who need loving forever homes. Erin figured out this way to bring attention to senior dogs who are notoriously difficult to find new homes for various reasons.
Image Credit: Erin O'Sullivan / Today.com
Erin and Brandon saved no effort to spread the word that senior pups are just as fun as a pup of any other age. Additionally, they used their Facebook page, Susie's Senior Dogs, to share information about adoptable senior pups who are in shelters and rescues. Although the couple had no plan of action, they helped countless senior pups to find loving homes since January 2014.
It is undeniable fact that almost all pets do not live as long as humans, but this is not a reason to deter someone from giving a senior pet a loving home. Besides, while it is it is extremely heartbreaking when losing a pet, senior pups can actually live more than most people might expect.
Image Credit: Susie's Senior Dogs / Facebook
In what seems like a final act of altruism, Susie did not take her last breath before Erin and Brandon had another furry best friend who would take care of them. While any pet owner would know that no pup would ever take Susie's place in their parent's hearts, but it is a relief to know that Erin and Brandon can bestow the love they have for another senior dog who was in need of a loving home. Moby could never find a better family, and we are all waiting to hear more stories of him in the years to come.
Please SHARE Susie's inspiring story with friends and family!
Via
Bark Post
