Owner Shares Tearful Reason She Let Senior Dog Open Christmas Gifts Early

Christmas has arrived early for one senior dog, who has received her presents ahead of schedule—albeit in heartbreaking circumstances.

On December 10, Mila, a mixed-breed dog, was given a gift bag filled with treats to open because her owner Tiffany Perkins, 35, was told she may not be here to celebrate on Christmas Day.

Perkins told Newsweek that she initially fostered the 14-year-old canine who was in a bad state, covered in mange and extremely thin, but when a vet discovered something much more sinister, decided to make the arrangement permanent.

Perkins, from Metro Detroit, Michigan, said: "When I took her to the vet, they did testing and found she had mammary tumors and lymphoma, and I had grown attached already, so I decided to keep and adopt her officially during that appointment."

Mila was adopted three months ago and diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes and lymphatic system shortly after. Lymphoma is a relatively common cancer, accounting for 15 to 20 percent of new cancer diagnoses in dogs, according to the VCA Animal hospital.

"Our vet said we'd be lucky to see the end of the calendar year, but more likely of days to weeks when she was diagnosed three months ago, so I'm really grateful for the time we have together each day.

"She's a tough cookie to still be here, and I'm so proud of her.

"She has gained so much confidence and asks for what she wants with barks and head nudges, which I love.

"She snuggles up with me now and gets tucked in with me each night. She's such a sweetheart," said Perkins.

Perkins recorded the moment Mila poked her nose in the gift bag and uploaded it to TikTok using the handle @pawsfriendnetwork.

The clip captioned: "Fostering is free, and so valuable for elderly dogs in kennels—hoping for a home on their wish list," has over 8,000 views.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (ASPCA) 6.3 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.1 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats.

Tiffany encourages people to give senior dogs a chance, insisting that they make better pets than you might think.

She told Newsweek: "Seniors are often displaced at no fault of their own, and they've had over a decade of experience in being a thoughtful best friend. I find that they're well-behaved and mild mannered, and low-key with their routine.

"They're exactly who they are when you meet them, and I fall for the lazy loaf dogs every time. Senior shelter dogs rarely find new homes, and they're such precious gems if you make the time to meet one during your search for a dog."

So far, the video shared on December 10 has more than 2,000 likes and over 90 comments.

One person said: "Currently fostering a senior. They deserve the world."

"Thank you for giving her a wonderful home and memories," praised another user.

A third user said: "I am crying like a baby, senior dogs deserve the world!! They are puppies, but with a little sprinkle on top."

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