If you want to understand the true meaning of resilience, meet Grandpa Larry!
This 14-year-old dynamo never stops. He’s one of the biggest fighters I’ve ever seen.
Instead of fading away in a shelter, Larry decided to fight for his life. He wanted to live, even though he couldn’t walk at first. When people labeled him a hospice patient, he showed them his true spirit!
Grandpa Larry Knows How To Turn Weaknesses Into Strengths
Photo Credit tarasfostersaz
The amazing team at I Stand With My Pack, from Culver City, California, rescued Larry from the shelter just in time! At fourteen, this sweet pup had one wish – to live his golden days happily. And the team made it happen!
Lucy, renowned for her fostering expertise and her dogs’ vibrant Instagram account, took Larry in without hesitation. Despite his walking issues, she welcomed him with open arms, and so did her dog pack!
Given his condition, the rescue thought Larry would be a hospice foster. But at Lucy’s, his true character surfaced!
“The rescue thought he could be a hospice foster. His back legs didn’t really work very well,” Lucy told The Dodo.
In just a few short weeks, Grandpa Larry transformed into a brand-new dog. He started “aging backwards” alongside his new doggo siblings, surprising everyone.
Larry’s Amazing Transformation
Photo Credit tarasfostersaz
How could such an old, sick dog transform so quickly and look so young? It’s incredible, but it happened!
And the best part? Larry’s new funny quirks! He has a little “wooing show” whenever he sees a fire truck and a toe-tapping ritual before his meals. In fact, Larry refuses to do anything before breakfast.
“He wouldn’t do anything before he had breakfast. He wouldn’t go out and pee. He was like, ‘No, I have to have my breakfast now’,” says Lucy.
Aging Is An Unknown Concept For Larry
Photo Credit tarasfostersaz
Larry beat the odds in a short time. No one could believe the dog, once labeled as a “potential hospice foster,” could transform so dramatically – and at such an old age!
He embarked on a brand-new journey each day, breaking barriers towards his new life.
Then came the real surprise!
Tara, a long-time foster from Arizona, reached out to Lucy, saying she wanted to adopt Larry. Lucy was over the moon!
The two met in Palm Springs, California, for adoption day, throwing a huge party for Grandpa Larry and his new siblings – Magoo, Frank, and Gordy.
Seeing this senior pup thriving and finally getting the life he deserves was a tear-jerking moment!
Tara, her big family, and Larry drove all the way to Arizona, starting a new life together. Today, Larry is happier than ever, living the time of his life surrounded by people who are absolutely crazy about him.
“He freaking loves everything. He loves to go everywhere. There’s only been a couple of dogs over the years that when you take them out into public, they actually cause a scene just by existing. They have grandpa swag, and he’s definitely got it,” says Tara.
His story will always be a testament to what a little love can do.
