Our choice to help seniors and special needs pets is wholly inspired by one of my favorite rescues of all time: Geezer.
Geezer was posted as a cat that was potentially hit by a car, due to him being found disoriented in the middle of the road. I offered to take Geezer to the emergency vet without knowing anything else, but I did not plan to take him home. Another foster was meant to be found. However, after waiting six hours for news, I was finally told that he had NOT been hit by a car. He was just an extremely emaciated, blind 15 year old cat. I was told the rescue I brought him for did not want to invest in his care due to his age and health being in decline. I could either choose to let the rescue pay to euthanize him or take him home and take responsibility for him.
Not wanting to decide death for a cat I haven't even met, I took him home. That night, he proved to be a lively, hungry little guy that gobbled up attention and food as if he'd been starved of both for all 15 years of his life. A second visit to the vet didn't produce better results. He had a tumor on his foot that was suspected to be cancer, so they recommended euthanasia. Finally, we met with Dr. Dean, who was the first and only vet willing to give this little man a chance. And it turned out to be so, so worth it.
Geezer went on to live 7 more months in our care. He lived a lavish life with three cans of cat food a day, a bed and heating pad of his own, and all the love we could give him. I don't regret for a moment taking him in, spending hundreds on his care, or losing him seven months later. Every single day he was happy was well worth the losses.
And we still believe every old, disabled, unwell animal deserves to be happy and loved for whatever time they have left. So that is what we plan to give them.