Stilly River, I check our humane society every day or so. Adopting old animals is what I used to do, just to give them a happy ending. After about a half dozen I wasn't sure I could bear going through the grieving process again so I broadened my standards. The last two dogs I adopted were both considered unadoptable, one had an inoperable congenital heart wall condition, the other dog was Ellery who was only two years old and eminently adoptable except that he had to have expensive surgery. After the surgery he was fine for almost 10 years. He was a purebred Chinese Crested and maybe that is why he developed pancreatitis- purebred dogs tend to be more vulnerable in a number of ways.

Juneau people are very good at adopting our shelter animals (and there is only one) so many times there are no animals available. Right now there is a 60 pound dog available- I can't take him because I have to be able to carry the dog if necessary- and they have a budgie and a half dozen turtles. Think about the budgie from time to time but frankly I want something I can cuddle!