2017 ended on a good note for an 8-year-old boxer-mix named Rusty.
The dog, who had been looking for a forever home to call his own, found the perfect match in an assisted care facility for seniors.
Rockland Place Executive Director Brenda Negron said in an interview with Delaware Online:
"He's appropriately placed in a geriatric home. He's amazing."
Rusty was first introduced to Negron when she visited his rescue, Faithful Friends Animal Society, to drop off some donations. When the organization's Executive Director Jane Pierantozzi suggested the old dog might make a great fit with the residnets over at Rockland Place, Negron consulted with her staff, and they decided to give it a shot.
After just one trip, Rusty's fate was sealed. The residents started to look forward to his visits, some even slipping him treats under the table. Two days before Christmas, when Negron tried to return Rusty to his rescue after a visit to Rockland, the dog tried following her back out the door, and the rest is history.
Negron recalled:
"He looked back at us like, 'What are you doing?' And I said, 'This is it. We can't keep doing this with this dog.' So now he lives here."
Rusty is said to be settling in nicely with his new friends, joining many residents on walks around the grounds and sauntering back and forth between them for visits and pets on the head. He will soon be allowed to roam freely throughout the halls.
His presence is valued among the residents, some who revisit tales of their former pups, and others who find his energy comforting.
Negron said:
"People that don't usually communicate are communicating with him."
What do you think about Rusty's new home? Tell us in the comments!
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