In the winter of 2017, 72-year-old Melani Andrews tragically lost both her husband of 35 years and their dog Lola. The next few months were naturally very tough for Andrews. In summer 2017, her granddaughter suggested that she should look into adopting another dog who would provide companionship. Andrews knew she wanted to take home a very special dog.
Andrews went to her local shelter, Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento, and asked them to give her their ‘least adoptable dog.’
The shelter staff immediately knew the perfect dog for Andrews: a tiny 12-year-old pup named Jake.
Little Jake is a mixed-breed dog with skin problems and terminal, untreatable cancer. He had been at the shelter for months, but nobody had given him a second glance.
“Jake has been with us for a long time, is a senior and has cancer in addition to skin problems. He was getting passed up time and time again. But Melani came to the shelter not just to find a great dog, but to save a life and give unconditional love to a dog in need,” Front Street Animal Shelter wrote on Facebook.
Andrews fell in love with Jake right away, and she took him home that day.
The pair immediately bonded, and Jake made himself at home. While the pup isn’t well enough to go far from home, he does enjoy spending time in the backyard and barking at the dog next door. He also loves going for short walks with Andrews around the neighborhood. Afterward, he enjoys curling up under a big fleece blanket on Andrews’ bed or couch.
Andrews is a great dog mom, and she does everything she can to make Jake comfortable. She gives him coconut-infused baths to soothe his raw skin. When it’s time for him to eat, she moistens his kibble with chicken broth to make it easier for Jake to chew. The little dog has a big appetite, and he’ll typically eat the whole bowl in no time at all!
Andrews isn’t sure how long she’ll have with Jake, but she’s determined to make Jake’s last months the best of his life.
“He’s going to get a good life living here with me,” Andrews told TODAY. “I wanted to give a dog who didn’t have a chance, a chance.”
About a year after adopting Jake, Andrews decided she wanted to give another shelter dog a good home.
She decided to adopt a sweet pit bull named Maddie. Maddie loves cuddling on the couch and sleeping with her mom.
Andrews is a big-hearted animal lover who has given homes to dogs who had nowhere else to go. We’re so glad Jake and Maddie have found such a great mom!
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