𤡠Are disabled dogs really adoptable?
Bringing a new dog home is a fun, rewarding experience many pet parents know well.
From that initial moment of deciding itâs time, to searching for the perfect pet, and finally finding the one, itâs a process that fills us with joy and sets the foundation for building that much-desired bond.
During that process, however, many sweet, deserving pets are often overlooked.
Some may already be in their golden years, while others may be living life with two or three legsâŚ
But because theyâre not the young, able-bodied dogs people typically think of as âperfect,â theyâre not even given a chance.
When Tiffany Perkins, shelter dog advocate and founder of PAWS Friend Network, saw this firsthand, she knew she could change how people see these dogs.
And because of her, dogs who may have been euthanized are getting a second chance at life.
An interesting introduction to pets
âI didn't really have a companion pet at any point. It was more like an exotic house guest that would eventually go back to the store and be sold⌠We never kept a pet for the duration of its life, so I didn't really have an attachment in the way that somebody would with their pet.â
As a child, Tiffany was around pets all the time, but they were never really hers.
Her grandfather owned a pet store and since her dad worked there, he would often bring animals home to care for them for a while.
Some of them, like chinchillas or rabbits, were too delicate for a young child to handle, so she adored them from a distance.
Knowing their stay was temporary, Tiffany loved them but never viewed them as her pets.
It wasnât until adulthood when she got her own, and it was one she never expected to have.
âMy grandpa had adopted a senior dog and when he was actively passing away from dementia, he asked family to take his dog⌠Everyone told him no, weâll just take it to the shelter. I told them, âI donât think thatâs what we should doâ and I ended up taking him.â
A growing desire to do more
âI was really close with my grandpa. When he was sick, the only thing he cared about was his dog, Georgie. His dying wish was for his dog to be on his lap during that end-of-life care⌠And that really changed my worldview around pets.â
Since Tiffany hadnât experienced the deep connection we can form with animals, she didnât realize what she was getting into when taking Georgie in.
All she knew is that her grandpa loved this dog with all his heart, so she would do the same.
And over time, she felt like she needed to do more.
She loved having Georgie and admired how her grandpa spent so much of his life helping animalsâalbeit, in a way thatâs controversial.
âAfter having a pet companion of my own, I wanted to volunteer at a local shelter to help more pets in my grandpa's memory. I picked the municipal shelter of Detroit, which was a very bold first choice to kind of go right into the deepest epicenter of a crisis. But I'm so glad I started there.â
At the shelter, a little senior Shih Tzu, just like Georgie, caught Tiffanyâs eye. Knowing how much joy Georgie had brought into her life, she just knew this little guy would end up in a loving home.
During her next shift, however, she faced the harsh realization that he was one of the dogs whose life would end at the shelter.
âIf I had known, I would have just taken him home. I didn't even think of that as an outcome for a small lap dog. I was devastated, but I kept coming back⌠And within a few months, I only focused on the senior dogs in the shelter.â
While working her shifts, Tiffany would intentionally introduce potential adopters to senior dogs and slowly, she was changing peopleâs minds on how they viewed them.
Senior dogs are typically already housetrained and have a more relaxed demeanor.
Theyâre a perfect companion for anyone from an older couple whoâs less active to a young professional who doesnât have time to train, but has plenty of love to give.
And over time, Tiffany started creating a natural network of senior pet adopters that would only continue to grow.
The moment that led to starting PAWS Friend Network
âThese dogsâ adoption visibility was basically zero. The rescue didn't want to adopt out senior or disabled dogs because it was lucrative to keep them within the shelter⌠They were creating so much through donation clicks.â
Spending so much time at the municipal shelter became emotionally taxing, so Tiffany decided to step away for a bit and redirect her efforts.
She ended up working with a rescue, eventually fosteringâand then foster failingâher dog, Luke.
Luke was her first experience with a disabled dog, but since this was during the pandemic, she had plenty of time to learn about life with a wheelchair-using dog.
During this time, she also started to notice something she never expected from a rescue: They were exploiting certain dogs to bring in donations.
Seeing how much love Luke had to give, Tiffany started to advocate more visibility for their other disabled dogs, including another she decided to foster, Queenie.
She wanted to bring Queenie and others to more adoption events. Each time, she was shot down.
Instead of giving in, she did something about it.
She immediately adopted Queenie, left the rescue, and started a nonprofit that would truly help those dogs in need.
Making a difference for deserving pets
âWhen I started sharing Luke's story, just naturally because he's part of my life, his wheelchair actually had people reaching out to me. People were asking, where'd you get his wheelchair? How did you pay for his wheelchair? Are there programs for his wheelchair?â
With this feedback, Tiffany knew exactly how PAWS Friend Network could start making a huge impact for both senior and disabled dogs from the very beginning.
She started with a free lending library filled with mobility devicesâslings, ramps, stairs, and wagons.
In some cases, she was able to help people crowdfund for wheelchairs. Then, people started donating wheelchairs and other equipment too.
As her nonprofit gained traction, she experienced a terrible loss: Queenieâs passing.
While grieving, the municipal shelter she first volunteered at reached out. Knowing she had a passion for helping this special population of dogs, they asked if she could help a dog who would be euthanized.
She took the dog, Noodle, immediately and added him to her pack.
Thatâs when she focused on creating a network, so if sheâs at capacity, she can reach out to others to help.
âA shelter would reach out to me saying, âWe have this dog⌠Could you get their picture out to as many people as you can through social media? Then I would vet applicants, help place dogs, and get them in touch with appropriate vet care.â
From there, she organically gained momentum, and figured out ways to make even more of a difference.
Remembering the reason she started in the first place, sheâs helped pass nearly 10 bills in the past two years that ultimately help dogs in needâmaking it more challenging, and illegal, to exploit those who canât advocate for themselves.
Nothing but love to give
â...I want this for all the dogs that need somebody with a little extra care to give, because you get it back as well. I feel so loved and adored by them, and I think people need more of that.â
In just a short amount of time, Tiffany went from never having a pet of her own to rescuing a small pack of senior and/or disabled dogs.
Now, she could never imagine her life without a special dog by her side.
Many shelter dogs are overlooked, especially those who donât fit the mold of what people think of as âperfect,â but these dogs have so much love to give.
âThe more I can talk about it, and the more I can share how amazing the dogs I have from a municipal shelter are, I think it just helps dissolve that stigma around shelter dogs. They're a little bit more snuggly and appreciative of what they have, because they came from without.â
Throughout this whole experience, Tiffany has gone from knowing nothing about spines or wheelchairs, how to lobby for bills, how to care for a dog with neurological issuesâŚ
And any time thereâs been a moment where she doubts if she can do it, she just looks to her dogs.
Whether theyâre curled at her feet or following her to the bathroom, their unconditional love is reassurance that she can keep helping more senior and disabled dogs stay out of shelters.
âWhen I took in Georgie, my grandpa's dog, he had a wonderful life. He had an amazing life, and he was beloved for all of his years, but him being displaced would rattle everything he knew about the world.â
Welcoming home a special dog
âYou're creating a new relationship with this companion pet, and they already have all the foundational skills⌠You just get to go right to bonding. You don't have to do all the other stuff, you're fast-forwarding to the best parts, the most thoughtful, kind, sentimental parts on day one.â
Thinking about adopting a senior or disabled pet can bring up concerns for someone whoâs never done it before, but Tiffany brings up a few good points.
For senior dogs, you get to commit to something short term, even though itâs their entire life. Choosing a dog with a few years left provides stability for them until the end.
For disabled dogs, you wonât know everything on day one, and thatâs okay. As long as you have curiosity to learn something new, youâll be perfect.
Many dogs who are missing legs or have various health issues have been living this way for years. To them, itâs normal!
And because of social media and easy access to knowledge online, weâre never truly alone.
There are great support groups for those with special pets, filled with people who are willing and happy to help.
Tiffany is one of those people, and makes time every week to respond to Instagram DMs. She loves talking about these dogs and sharing resourcesâif youâre curious about something, feel free to DM her!
The perfect plan for the perfect pet
Senior dogs or those with special needs sometimes need special care⌠And for you, that just becomes part of the daily routine!
But if you had to step away for a couple days, who would care for them in the same way you do?
If something happened and you couldnât care for them for an extended period of time, would someone know exactly what to do?
Putting a Cotl plan in place ensures your pet is taken care of, just the way theyâre used to, no matter what.
