A Second Chance for Stella

Every animal adoption is special — but when we see your generosity give a senior dog a second chance at a happy home, it’s especially meaningful.

When Stella, a 9-year-old Shih Tzu, was brought in by her previous owner, she was blind from cataracts. Her eyes were very painful, so our veterinary team had to perform surgery to remove them. Stella was also deaf, meaning that she would need to be adopted by someone special. Despite everything she had endured, Stella remained sweet, gentle and calm.

Fortunately, she didn’t have long to wait for a loving home. Denise, a generous supporter of San Diego Humane Society, was attending the Annual Donor Reception at our San Diego Campus and immediately connected with Stella. She began figuring out ways to communicate with Stella, despite her vision and hearing loss, through touch and by using treats to guide her. Denise didn’t look at Stella and see her disabilities — she saw her incredible potential to be a loving companion. Rather than “special needs,” she saw Stella as special, with a simple need: someone to love her.

Denise brought Stella home the very next day — and she couldn’t be more loved. Today, Stella loves napping in her new home and going on walks and play dates with her doggie neighbors. She even accompanies Denise on Sunday brunch outings. When asked how adopting Stella has impacted her life, Denise said, “Her disabilities strengthen my abilities — to love unconditionally, see the world from a different perspective, and be awed by her resilience.”

Stella is living proof that senior dogs have so much to offer. Thank you for supporting San Diego Humane Society’s work and making it possible for special animals like her to get the second chance they deserve.

Learn more about how your support makes a difference to homeless animals like Stella. Contact Katie Chalmers at (619) 798-0498 or KChalmers@sdhumane.org.