Story and photos submitted by Keeton Hill
Molly, a Border Collie X Labrador, was given up by her previous owner in a pretty bad way on 28th October 2016. She was 13, deaf, suffering from arthritis, spondylosis (a spine condition), a double ear infection, and was so weak that she could barely walk. Because of the state she was in, and her age, she was placed into foster care with myself and my girlfriend, Adele, on the 10th November.
Over a few weeks her arthritis eased up to the point where she could run, her ear infections cleared up completely, her coat became brighter and less dry, and she even learned to toilet outside (something she hadn't been taught before). We eventually adopted her on 19th December.
She has things she needs to hopefully work on, like being less shy, feeling more confident around other dogs, and learning how to play and entertain herself. However, so far she has made massive improvements from when she first came to us, and overall she is generally easy to look after, funny, quirky, awkward, clumsy, yet gentle and kind natured.
Our vet has recently suggested that she may have canine cognitive dysfunction (dementia), but she is still happy, and enjoys her walks, food, and sleeping with her teddy, Benny. She even has her own Facebook and Instagram pages, hoping to show others the benefits of older dogs. Although she is older, she's here now, and that's all that matters. It's about the quality of time you have with them, not the quantity.