Cooper is an adorable doggo who is nine years old. Before, he spent his days with his family, but as they had to move, Cooper was surrendered to a shelter.
Cooper ended up spending way more time at the shelter than he anticipated. Hoomans were coming and going and nobody was stopping at his kennel and giving him the attention that he needed.
Luckily, this would soon change when a woman finally noticed him and decided to take him home.
Foster Home
Cooper’s foster mom came that day wishing to volunteer, so she asked which dogs had been there for the longest.
“I went into the shelter one day to volunteer and asked, ‘Who are some of the longest dogs who’ve been here? I wanted to take them on a fun outing and adventure. He was one of them, and when I saw him there, I just knew I had to bring him home,” Victoria Vazquez, Cooper’s foster mom, told The Dodo.
Cooper is now an 11-year-old pup who, according to Vazquez, is an “old man meets toddler.”
He loves spending his time with the people he loves as well as in the sun. He loves to nap and play with his toys.
Even though Vazquez and Cooper love each other dearly, this pup can’t stay in his foster home forever.
Cooper isn’t really too happy about the way things are at his foster home. Vazquez has another dog that he isn’t really fond of and his foster mom also works for long hours – something Cooper dislikes the most.
Even though they are able to make things work for now, this just won’t be a good fit for the long term.
“It’s obviously a much better situation than the shelter, but I know he’d thrive in a home where he can relax and have the whole house to himself 24/7,” Vazquez said.
Vazquez is doing everything she can in order to find this sweet pup a home that he deserves. And, over the nine months he was with her, she managed to find seven potential families.
Unfortunately, every single one of those adoptions failed at the last moment.
“He looks a lot like a beagle, and even when I tell them he’s not — he’s tall and 70+ pounds — they’re still shocked. Some people have told me they just expect him to be super short and fat. He’s basically like a skinny beagle on stilts. Then there’s the age … I’ve found a lot of people don’t want to fall in love with a dog in their golden years,” she said.
Unfortunately, because of his past and the fact that his old family left him, Cooper has separation anxiety – another thing that makes his adoption a bit harder.
“His owners had him his whole life and dropped him at a shelter at [9 years old]. After being there for so long and being passed to different foster homes, I’d have anxiety too. A lot of dogs actually do! There [are] a lot of little things, [and] it’s things like this that have made him overlooked time and time again,” Vazquez added.
New Tactic
After a while, Vazquez decided to try a different approach.
She took all of the messages that were rejecting Cooper and compiled them in a video she posted on TikTok in order to show just how heartbreaking this situation was.
@woofnwellness 8 months… Eight months of trying to find Cooper a forever home. We just got our 6th formal no today. The message isn’t included with all do these cause I’m having a hard time even reading it. It was the best meet & greet he’s had. He cuddled, licked her, settled down quickly, took a nap, and she even got my hopes up. Talked about how amazing her yard is, how they’re home all the time, how her other dog is so great. I can’t stop crying. My heart breaks for him and I can’t understand why nobody wants him!? They apply for him and meet with him. But, they never go through with it. There has to be someone out there who wants to open their home to a senior. He’s so sweet, so cuddly, and of course he has his quirks like any other dog but, it’s what makes him HIM. Tired of the no’s and the let downs. I’m just glad that he doesn’t know about the rejection… he’s had enough of that in his life already. Sorry for the rant. I’m just so tired of potential adopters breaking my heart but, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? And it’s definitely making me stronger for the long haul of working in animal welfare. I’ll forever be a voice for the voiceless. #AdoptableDog #SeniorDogs #Rescue #DogRescue #SeniorDogRescue #SeniorDogsOfInstagram #DogsOfTiktok #VoiceForTheVoiceless #AnimalWelfare #DogMom #FosterMom #DogFosterMom ♬ original sound – 𝑛𝑒̀𝑙𝑙𝑎ଓ
Vazquez is not giving up hope, and she knows that there is the perfect home for this pup somewhere out there – they just need to be a little patient.
“Cooper’s ideal home is definitely a home without cats — he likes to chase them. And while he does extremely well with kids, I think he’d prefer older kids. Also, with someone who’s home often, whether that be working from home or a stay-at-home mama/papa. He just wants to be around family and it’s when he’s most at peace. He’s flexible in the active lifestyle department. He would love to go on adventures if someone was willing to take him on hikes and walks! But, he’d also be totally okay with watching movies and TV on the couch. He’s a love bug who goes with the flow and likes to eat, sleep, sniff, potty and repeat,” she concluded.
If you or anybody you know is interested in adopting this sweet boy, feel free to contact Victoria Vazquez for more information.