When Jojo came to the Hillsborough County Animal Shelter in Florida, he was given a grim prognosis. At 14 years old, the little Pomeranian resembled a teddy bear, and she’d been through a lot.
Fleas and ticks, acute pneumonia, hair loss, and convulsions plagued her. Her back legs were paralyzed, she had a heart murmur, and she had dental problems.
“In the past, a dog like this would have been euthanized,” said Scott Trebatoski, the county’s Pet Resource Center head. “I believe that 5 to 7 years ago, they would have simply said, ‘There’s nothing we can do,’ if they saw a dog as old as 14 dragging its hind legs.” It’s not going to be popular.”
Since the county shelter was unable to accommodate a special needs dog, Jojo’s story and photo were shared via email with a network of 125 animal shelters.
True & Faithful Pet Rescue Mission’s Lisa Letson chose to assist Jojo. The dog, as it turned out, had a tremendous will to live and fight the good fight.
Despite her health concerns, little Jojo was going to be okay in the end, but she needed a permanent home. The small pooch was ready to make it big thanks to skilled actor and dancer Mayte Garcia.
Mayte had a pup named Ziggy who had been found in a crate on the side of the road and was in bad shape. Although Ziggy has passed away, Mayte enjoys adopting older pets.
“When I had Ziggy, there was just a bond,” Mayte said. “I’m not sure if it’s because they recognize someone has abandoned them or because they’re older and know how to express themselves, but you get a sense of gratitude.”
Watch the video below!
