DDPHE Blog: A Heavenly Home for Heavenly

DDPHE Blog: A Heavenly Home for Heavenly

Published on November 17, 2025

November is Senior Pet Month, and there's no better time to celebrate the love and loyalty of older animals, like Heavenly, a 15-year-old Chihuahua who recently found her forever home.

When housing challenges forced a local family to make the heartbreaking decision to part with one of their pets, they turned to Denver Animal Shelter (DAS) for help. That's how Heavenly came into our care.

Despite her age, Heavenly was in surprisingly good health. Our veterinary team found only minor issues, nothing that would prevent her from enjoying her golden years in a loving home.

She didn't have to wait long.

Just days after Heavenly was listed for adoption, Toni B. made the 130-mile drive from northeast Colorado to meet her. Toni arrived early and waited outside the shelter to ensure she'd be first in line. Two more hopeful adopters showed up behind her, a testament to the growing appreciation for senior pets.

Toni has a soft spot for older animals. She had adopted another senior dog, 10-year-old Pica, from DAS just a few months earlier.

While puppies and kittens often get the spotlight, senior pets offer unique benefits. They're typically calmer, already housetrained, and have well-established personalities. More importantly, they bring a quiet kind of loyalty and gratitude that's hard to describe but easy to feel.

In the past 18 months, nearly 400 dogs and cats ages 7 and older have been adopted from DAS. Many more are still waiting for their second chance.

Heavenly is now thriving in her new home. Toni reports that she has settled seamlessly into her new home, as if she had always been there. Stories like this remind us that age is just a number, and every pet deserves a safe, loving place to call home.

Looking to bring a senior pet home? Check our website, it's updated hourly with adoptable pets.

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