November is Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month, and each week, we'll be introducing you to cats and dogs who need a place to live out their golden years. Today, we'd like you to meet Ida, a sweet old soul who is learning to trust again.
This past September, Ida and her sister, Ester, were discarded like trash. A New York City policeman happened to be passing by a trash can when he heard the dogs' cries coming from a duffle bag in the garbage.
Both elderly dogs were saved and taken to a city shelter, after which rescue group Animal Haven learned their story.
Animal Haven took them in and helped get Ester adopted, but Ida is still waiting for her forever home. Ida has made herself comfortable in the shelter's downtown Manhattan office and is slowly learning to trust people again. "Ida is very loving but still wary of new people," says Animal Haven executive director Tiffany Lacey, who shares an office with the plucky dog. "Once she warms up to you, though, she is yours for life. She's also a bit of a ham."
Approximately 9 years old, the tiny Chihuahua is happy to do nothing but snuggle in a warm lap or in her big bed. Her nerves get rattled when strangers come into her space, but not to worry – she's "all bark, no bite," according to her profile on Animal Haven's website. She may flash her three teeth at first, but she settles down pretty quickly.
After the ordeal she's been through, staff at the shelter are happy to dote on Ida. There is "never a dull moment with Ida around," says Lacey. "We will keep looking for that perfectly patient person who will open their home to a dog who has been through such a traumatic experience."
Established in 1967, Animal Haven is a non-profit organization that finds homes for New York City's homeless cats and dogs. Visit their website to learn how you can help them with their rescue efforts.
Click here to meet last week's adoptable pet, Tyke.
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