In Texas, a kind lady named Jeanette Finch-Walton, who is 74 years old, chose to give a home to an older dog that had been waiting for more than 700 days to find a family. This dog is a 10-year-old mix of a breed known as Carolina, and he was living in a place called Austin Pets Alive! in the city of Austin, Texas.

Jeanette decided she wanted a dog that didn’t have too much energy but still needed a lot of love. The people who work at Austin Pets Alive! knew just the right dog for her. They introduced her to a dog named Beluga. Beluga was special because he was older, had arthritis, and needed someone to take care of him in special ways. Jeanette met Beluga in February and decided she wanted to bring him home through a program that lets people take care of a dog before they decide to adopt.

Even though Beluga needed extra help and care, Jeanette thought he was the perfect companion. She felt so close to him that she changed his name to Velcro because he always wants to be by her side.

Velcro, the dog, had been waiting in the shelter for a long time—over 700 days. But now, he has Jeanette, who loves him very much.

Jeanette hopes that by sharing her story of adopting Velcro, she can encourage more people to think about giving a home to dogs that are older or have special needs. She believes these dogs have a lot of love to give and deserve to be loved just as much. Jeanette says, “Velcro has adopted me. He chose me to be his mom, and my roommate is now his aunt.”