A man has adopted an 18-year-old dog from a Washington, D.C., shelter after his dog died and the dog’s owner also passed away in February.
Wayne Lerch, whose 11-year-old pit bull Jasmine died in December, saw a posting about 18-year-old Julep on the Humane Rescue Alliance’s Facebook page and decided to go meet her, according to "Today." He showed up early on Tuesday, riding his motorcycle so he wouldn’t be pressured to adopt her on the spot.
Still, Lerch said he “knew right away” he wanted to make Julep’s last years special.
“She’s saving me as much as I’m helping her,” he told "Today."
Julep is one of the oldest dogs the shelter has ever had, if not the oldest, the Humane Rescue Alliance said.
Lerch took Julep home, renaming her Tootie after his grandmother and the dessert tutti frutti, because she "can't get enough treats," "Today" reported.
Tootie loves going for walks, being petted, and sleeping in. She’s healthy for the time being, and Lerch knows he probably won’t have a great many years with her but is determined to give her the best life possible in the meantime.
Twitter loved the story of an 18-year-old dog finding an owner in spite of her age, with dozens of users posting the story links and calling Lerch everything from “kind” and “wonderful” to a “hero” for his act.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.