A Senior Dog’s Pawsome Glow-Up: Jagger’s Story

Jagger was 13-years-old with matted curls and severe dental disease when he came to the Humane Society of Utah in April 2021. Our SOAR team transferred this senior miniature poodle mix from an overcrowded shelter nearby to save his life. Due to a lack of resources and funding, they were unable to provide the medical treatment he needed.

Jagger wasn’t shiny or new, but we saw his value and understood that, without a doubt, this boy deserved all the love and care we could give him. So, we did everything to ensure he’d have the best chance of being adopted, which included removing his decaying teeth and the painful-looking mats in his fur.

He was severely dehydrated and underweight (weighing only 4.3 pounds) and showing signs of nervousness and fear. We decided it was best to put him into our foster program first. This way, he could recover in a calm environment and gain a pound or two before going onto our adoption floor. 

But a week later, Jagger got sick. He was vomiting, had bloody diarrhea, and he wasn’t eating or drinking. He seemed so fragile physically and emotionally that his foster mom worried he wouldn’t pull through. Our Shelter Veterinarian saw him for an emergency exam. He was immediately given medicine and fluids to help him recover.

Thankfully, less than 72 hours later, Jagger appeared to be – for the first time since coming to us – full of life. His foster mom reported that he was suddenly initiating games of fetch and eager to snuggle up to her at night. His usually tired-looking eyes were brighter and more alive.

We’re happy to report that Jagger never made it into our adoption program because, after only a few weeks with his foster mom, she officially made him a member of her family.

About her decision, she said, “What a joy it is to wake up with this sweet boy cuddled up next to me every morning. He follows me everywhere I go, and he can’t get enough of long car rides with the window down so he can look out and feel the wind on his face. Oh, and he loves a pup cup from Starbucks!”

We sure do love a glow-up story, especially when it’s a doggy glow-up story that ends with a senior pup living out his best life.