Dog Abandoned By His Owners Now Spends His Time Bringing Smiles to Seniors

Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/dog-brings-smiles-seniors/

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Close your eyes for a moment. Think back to your life. You have lived a full life. You have traveled, worked, loved, spent time with friends and family, laughed, cried, enjoyed the physical freedoms of your body and so much more.

Now think forward to your later years. You are living in a 200-square-foot room. You have body limitations and you cannot leave your room due to being bedridden. You are lonely and depressed, not much family visits anymore, most friends have passed, and you may receive a card or call once a month if you are lucky. This is how you spend your final years.

Sadly this is the reality for many seniors who live in nursing homes and assisted living communities.

Well in February 2020, that story changed for many seniors in Youngstown, Ohio.

Enter Romo.

romo1 - Dog Abandoned By His Owners Now Spends His Time Bringing Smiles to Seniors — PHOTO: KRISTIN DEMIDOVICH

Romo is a lovable 6-year-old Chow, Shepard, Akita mix who came into Animal Charity Humane Society after being left by his abusers. He was left in a basement full of water, no food or water, covered in fleas. His owner was a drug addict and seller and abusive to all.

Romo did not let that stop him from being the kindest, gentlest soul. His first name on his intake day was Romeo due to the love he gives.

Well Romo’s love has helped start Three Wishes for Seniors Granted in Youngstown, Ohio. Three Wishes for Ruby’s Residents was started by Ruby Kate, an 11-year-old in Arkansas. It’s now in the Mahoning Valley and spreads joy to senior long term care and assisted living facility residents by granting wishes, with the help of senior pups from Animal Charity of Ohio.

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Romo travels to long term care and assisted living facilities to deliver wishes to these “forgotten” seniors in our community. The smiles, love, and joy it brings to our community’s senior citizens is breathtaking. We have delivered blankets, flowers, socks, food, and love during this pandemic. We have done window visits, sent photos and cards to put in their rooms of Romo, and we Facetime or send videos weekly.