The folks at the Seattle Humane Society received the following letter:

"I just got through watching the Oprah show concerning puppy mills. I wish I could tell people to take a chance on older dogs. Nine years ago I came into your shelter looking for an energetic smaller dog to be a companion to a new puppy. We had just had mother and daughter golden retrievers die within three months of each other and were going through a lot with our dogs. But I digress. Anyway, it took me a couple of trips down there to find a smaller dog but we found a black mixed terrier with the softest fur you have ever felt. It took a while for her to adjust into our family. But she has been a wonderful addition to our family. The vet said she was ten years old, so Mokie is getting to be a little old lady now. She has lost most of her hearing and some of her sight. But we love every day with her. She still has a happy hop in her walk. She is the only dog I know that has a very loud burp and she lets loose regularly with it. We have been very happy with Mokie for over nine years and she will leave a big hole in our lives when she leaves us. Thank you for all the work you do saving dogs. Sincerely, Laurel"

I spoke with Laurel to learn more about her life with Mokie and to learn firsthand some of the benefits of adopting an older dog. As Laurel writes, she wasn't looking specifically for an older dog. She was looking for a smaller dog that would be a companion to her puppy. In hindsight, there were many benefits with an older dog including being house-trained and requiring less lengthy walks. Laurel recounts how the shelter's description of "Sunny" included the phrase "likes to run!". Laurel laughed as she said she thinks they forgot to add "away"! On her first day in her new home, "Sunny" now renamed "Mokie" ran away and was found sitting under a neighbor's apple tree. A good reminder of the importance of having a fenced yard as Laurel now does. Laurel's other dog – the puppy at the time – is called "Chetze". Both dogs' names are derived from the name of a ferry – the Chetzemoka - that Laurel remembers as a child living on Whidbey Island.

Laurel has lots of grandkids and Mokie, like many other old ladies, loves it when the grandkids visit and showers them with kisses on their cheeks. I wish them many more happy years together. If you're interested in adopting a dog from the Seattle Humane Society, here is a link to the dogs that are available for adoption – sorted by age, oldest first, naturally. :-) The best part is that the adoption fee for "Special Dogs" (including the seniors) is at a specially discounted price of between $50-$75 too.