Nigel, a nine-year-old Chihuahua mix from Kansas City, Mo., didn’t really know what love was until he was rescued this year. This little dog had been badly abused and abandoned on the streets, but thank to Before the Bridge Senior K9 Rescue, the abused dog got a second chance in life.
This little Chihuahua was found as a stray by animal control. The dog had chemical burns over 75 percent of his body, and if the burns weren’t bad enough, Nigel was sentenced to death row once he was taken off the streets. Fortunately, an animal rescuer spotted him, contacted Before the Bridge, and the dog’s life was saved.
The rescue organization nursed the abused dog back to health and got him ready for his forever home. When 96-year-old Kathleen Brown met the dog this past August, the connection was instant. Brown new she had found her new four-legged best friend.
Kathleen Brown and Nigel. Photo Credit: Winnipeg Free Press
Brown lives in a Canadian senior citizen home and at the time was not in the market for a pet, but a friend of hers convinced her to go to an adoption fair. When she met Nigel, she knew he had to come live with her.
“I put my hand out to pick him up and he came up to kiss me and that settled that,” Brown told Winnipeg Free Press.
Prior to moving into the assisted living facility, Brown had always loved with pets, but with her advance age, she thought owning a pet was something she wouldn’t be able to do anymore.
“I didn’t think it would ever happen again ,” said Brown. “And [so far] it’s been wonderful. The only thing I worry about is what’s going to happen in the winter. Four feet of snow would bury him.”
Nigel is enjoying his new life with his human best friend. He spends most of his day on Brown’s lap getting petted and he goes on short walks around the complex. When he is not being pampered by Brown herself, the spoiled little dog is getting hugs and praises by the other senior residents who are just head over heels with this little dog.
“People call him a puppy around here because he’s so little, but I say, ‘No, he’s a senior, just like you.'”
Nigel is not the only one getting a second chance in life, Brown herself admits her life has significantly changed with the addition of her new friend. The senior woman has been lucky enough to enjoy good health and be able to care for the dog, but having the pet’s companionship and unconditional love has giving her something to look forward to each day.
Judy Smith, founder of Before the Bridge K9 Rescue, says she never doubted that the match between this senior dog and woman was one made in heaven.
“Seniors rescuing senior [pets] is a wonderful concept. I think it’s beneficial for their health, their well-being, and their loneliness,” said Smith.
The bond between Nigel and Brown is a special one, and we hope the two of them get many years to nurture and enjoy their friendship.
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