Old habits die hard. Especially when they’re nice to have. A senior Chihuahua, called Scooter, was abandoned by his deceased owner’s family. After ten years of caring and loving for the dog, the owner’s family decided Scooter was not wanted anymore and sent him to a shelter.

The dog-owner bond is not easily broken, though. The twelve-year-old Chihu was confused and grief-stricken by this sequence of events, and had a hard time adjusting to the new environment.

As if the death of his long-time owner and abandonment by the remaining family was not enough, Scooter also had problems with his hip. This made the chances of finding a new home even harder.

The caretakers at the Humane Society of Branch Count, MI, posted photos of a snuggly tucked-in Scooter, hoping that someone would be quick to recognize how good a boy he was.

Lonely But Not Alone, Scooter Patiently Waited

The dog’s non-intrusive character and self-sufficient nature didn’t take long to catch the eye of suitable adopters.

Fate seemed to have played Scooter with the way he was dispatched to the shelter, but Jessica Lynn Howard proved that she would not allow this Chihuahua to bask in the sorrow of his former life.

Conferring with her husband, they promptly decided to adopt Scooter. Once the Human Society of Branch County posted the news that he had been adopted, the comment section rejoiced.

Still, I think Jessica was the happiest of the bunch, seeing how she has a track record of rescuing Scooter’s kind. The dog’s ritual of tucking himself at night remained as an ode to his deceased owner, and Jessica confirms it.

When it’s bedtime… he still tucks himself in. I’ve tried to tuck him in but he would rather do it himself. He has to get the covers just right. It’s really cute watching him.

Even in his old age, Scooter enjoys a life full of friends to share a bed with, and shows that he is young in spirit by acting goofy, Jessica says.

Scooter Did Good Beyond The Memory Of His Past Owner

Despite being the fastest to pull the trigger on adopting Scooter, Jessica says that many people from around the US got in touch with her to express their willingness to adopt him.

However, Scooter already had a new family. Still, they were so inspired by Jessica’s knack for adopting elderly dogs that they did the same. Considering that older dogs only have a 25% adoption rate, according to the ASPCA, Scooter’s influence here is extremely important. 

Jessica explained to The Dodo that people sent her photos of the older dogs they adopted from shelters throughout the States, and that they were all inspired by this Chihuahua’s life story.

Scooter’s legacy remains strong.