Most older cats and dogs are sweet animals that love to relax and hang out with their favorite people. These older animals are great fans of love and affection for showering their owners. Unfortunately, senior animals abandoned in animal shelters usually see that a new home difficult to find. In favor of younger pets, these older pups are often overlooked.
To get people to adopt older and special needs pets, PETA teamed up with the singer Yusuf Islam—formerly known as Cat Stevens. Fifty years ago, Islam released a song celebrating the bond between humans and their dogs called “I Love My Dog.” In honor of the song’s 50th anniversary, Islam gave PETA permission to use the song in a video that shows how wonderful adopting an older pet can be.
The heartwarming video shows how a man’s life is changed when he adopts a senior dog from a shelter. From the first moment the two look at each other, it’s clear that they share a powerful bond.
The man takes the dog home from the shelter. The pup takes the initiave and takes a look through the garbage can in his new home to see if there’s anything good inside. When his owner sees what the pup did, he doesn’t scold the dog. He just laughs and quickly cleans up the mess.
The pup and his owner have an amazing time going on walks, learning tricks, and taking naps together. While the man and his dog bond, Yusuf Islam sings, “I love my dog as much as I love you. But you may fade, my dog will always come through.”
One day, the dog and his owner are out on their usual run, and the dog sits down and looks at his owner. The owner knows that something is wrong. He brings his best buddy to the vet, where he learns that it’s time to say a heartbreaking goodbye.
The dog’s owner is devastated by his loss, but he has also learned how much joy an older dog can bring into his life. So when he gets a flyer in the mail advertising another dog adoption event, he heads right over and goes to find a new dog in need to bring home.
