Severely Matted 14-Year-Old Dog Saved From Being Euthanized: 'Wasn't Ready'

A dog that was almost euthanized has found a new life at 14 years of age.

Old Dog Haven in Washington received a call that Ruthie needed to find a new home or be euthanized within two days. The dog was living with an elderly male owner who had medical issues. Ruthie had been his wife's dog, but the woman had been in assisted living for over a year. Her husband admitted that he had struggled to care for the dog.

"He said a local shelter had turned her down because of her age, so he'd tried to find vets to euthanize her but couldn't find one willing. He told us that Ruthie was 'bossy, aggressive' and would try to bite him," Deeanne Matz, executive director of Old Dog Haven, told Newsweek.

Old Dog Haven is a small nonprofit group that uses a large network of foster homes to provide loving and safe spaces for unadoptable senior dogs. The Washington-based charity has more than 315 dogs in private, permanent foster homes.

Old Dog Haven call these foster homes "Final Refuge," where families will provide all the required love and veterinary care for them to enjoy the rest of their lives.

"We knew Ruthie needed our help," Matz said, and the next day, the dog was picked up and the staff met her for the first time.

Distressed and scared, Ruthie struggled with meeting new people but was signed over to the care of the rescue.

"The wonderful vet and vet tech stepped right in and spent a good part of the day addressing all of Ruthie's immediate needs," said Matz. "You can see from the photos she was in very bad shape. She was so matted that she couldn't walk normally and had feces stuck to her hair."

Despite the long-term neglect, Ruthie showed no signs of needing to be euthanized. Matz added: "One of our staff met Ruthie and her owner at the clinic. Ruthie licked her hand and made it clear she wasn't ready to be sent on."

A board member and long-time forever foster for Old Dog Haven and her husband came forward to give Ruthie the home she deserved at very short notice. Picking her up from the vet clinic, they took her that day.

Ruthie isn't the first dog to get a spruce-up after being rescued. In July, a dog so matted he looked "like a wig" got a huge makeover after being rescued in the Missouri Bootheel area. And earlier this August, Newsweek showed how another rescue dog found tied to a flag pole starving is now unrecognizable after being adopted.

When asked how Ruthie is settling into her new home, her fosterers said: "Ruthie was pretty shell-shocked and withdrawn when we got her home. But, in two-and-a-half days, she showed us her will to live and willingness to trust again.

"Ruthie has been learning how to be a dog again. She has been going on slow, short walks, sniffing the plants and flowers and exploring her new home," they added. "She is starting to relax and will lay down with us in the same room. She's finally figured out that the dog bed and fluffy blankets are for her. We can't wait to see this girl enjoying her life once more."

Matz said: "It is the very best thing to see the transformation these wonderful old pups go through when they have the best medical care and lots of love and attention."

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