Dog Adopted in 2019 With 'Few Good Months' Left Reaches Milestone Birthday

A pet owner who adopted an elderly dog thought to be nearing the end of his life in 2019 has been busy celebrating the veteran canine's birthday.

Kaz Weida from Utah took to Twitter to pay tribute to Foxx, her Labrador/pit bull mix, whom she was previously told potentially had only "a few good months left in him" because of health problems.

Fast-forward three years, and Foxx recently celebrated what is thought to be his 11th or possibly 12th birthday. He's living proof of the adage that "there's life in the old dog yet" and shows why it's important to give older rescue dogs a second chance at finding a forever home.

When it comes to rescue animals, it would appear age is more than just a number. A 2006 study by researchers from the University of Padua in Italy found that the chances of a dog or cat being adopted significantly decreased with age.

Yet Foxx's age and apparent undesirability were exactly what drew Weida to him in the first place. She told Newsweek: "I went to the local humane society and asked for their oldest, least likely to be adopted dog. They introduced us to Foxx."

While dogs of his kind can live up to the age of 12, the shelter made it clear to Weida that Foxx has some health problems. "He has hypothyroidism, allergies—he's allergic to grass—and is prone to bladder stones," she said. "He also needed surgery shortly after we adopted him."

Because of the financial outlay required as part of his care and a medical outlook that was deemed "uncertain," Weida and her family were able to adopt Foxx for free.

Weida had very specific reasons for wanting to adopt an older dog.

"We enjoy the more relaxed vibe of older dogs, and we have the financial resources to care for an animal that might otherwise not be adopted," she said. "My kids were older and knew how to handle dogs well, so I had less concerns about a dog that might have biting issues or bad habits from previous owners or abusive situations."

Foxx lives on a special diet that Weida estimates costs the family around $120 a month, and he also requires supplements for his bladder problems. Though the shelter's prognosis was not good at the time, Weida and her family worked tirelessly to keep him healthy, but it has not always been easy.

"His thyroid and allergy problems require adjustments to his medication," she said. "When we first got him, his skin was really inflamed and a lot of his fur had fallen out or he'd rubbed it off. He needed a few rounds of antibiotics for skin infections, plus lifelong allergy meds/shots and thyroid meds."

Yet from the moment they got him home, Foxx seemed thankful for his new surroundings. "The shelter was a very difficult environment for him as a senior dog," Weida said. "When we first adopted him, he just slept and slept and slept. He seemed relieved just to be able to rest somewhere quiet and comfortable.

"For the first few months, he never ever barked," she continued. "It was only until he got more confident in his environment and comfortable with us that he started making any noises at all. Now, he's very expressive and vocal, as pit bulls often can be."

Though Foxx gets anxious in noisy environments and can't be boarded anywhere without howling down the house, when he's with Weida and her family there's a sense of contentment and belonging he might never have experienced had it not been for his adoption.

"Foxx is a very sweet dog, and I was actually quite surprised by how loving and interested he was in the kids, especially my youngest," Weida said. "My other dogs tolerated the kids well, but he's the first dog we've had that seemed to genuinely want to hang out with them."

A lover of walks and popcorn, Foxx celebrated his birthday with a plate of the latter. While he's slowed down and can't run as much as he used to, this happy pup is definitely not on his last legs just yet.

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