A month ago, Ajax, a 10-year-old senior dog from Illinois, was found guarding his owner’s body. Newsweek reports that after being brought to the Animal Cruelty Society (ACS) in Nov. 2023, Ajax has been adopted by someone. Last month, Rory and Karen Quinn from Chicago came across the pup’s story and decided to welcome him into their lives.
Dog stood near the animal shelter door waiting for his owner
Lydia Krupinski, Vice President of ACS, said Ajax would often wait near the shelter’s door “hoping that his owner will enter.” She also added that after the pup arrived at the shelter, he didn’t eat much and didn’t seem interested in other dogs.
The shelter started worrying since they hadn’t received any adoption offer for Ajax for over a month. Fortunately, last month, the Quinn family decided to welcome the Plott Hound mix into their home.
“In December, my husband and I decided to renew our wedding vows,” Karen said. “And while I spoke with the priest inside the church, Rory was waiting outside scrolling through his feed.”
“Returning to the car, Rory looked at me and said we need to adopt this dog,” she added. “And he showed me Ajax’s story. My immediate response was ‘Let’s go.'”
Subsequently, the couple headed to the shelter and waited for an hour before they met the new member of the household.
Senior dog instantly got along with his new Illinois family
Karen described the experience as “love at first sight.” She said the dog instantly became attached to her husband “and would not leave his side.”
Previously, the family had another dog, Mr. Belmont, a Maltese who died during the COVID-19 pandemic at the age of 14. Since then, they’ve been looking to rescue another pet.
The family took Ajax home for a one-week trial, following which they decided to keep him permanently.
Karen stated, “Ajax, an older dog, has plenty of life left to live.” She further described him as “a gentle giant” who “loves riding in the car” and roaming around in the forest.
She also spoke about the importance of looking after dogs in their golden years. “We all get old and require help at some point in our lives,” she added. Continuing, she shared, “I know from experience that older dogs are a wonderful addition to any family.”
