A 15-year-old dog dumped at a shelter by her owner's family who wanted her euthanized has been treated to her very first puppuccino.
A small espresso-sized cup of whipped cream made specifically for canines, the puppuccino is the treat of choice for dog owners visiting Starbucks with their four-legged friend.
Though dogs are considered to be lactose intolerant, meaning dairy products are better off avoided, given the small quantity of cream served, most can enjoy a puppuccino, albeit in moderation.
If there is one dog deserving of a puppuccino though, it's Naomi. "She is a 15-year-old chihuahua mix who was surrendered to a veterinary office in the Bay Area to be euthanized," Naomi's foster carer, Lisa, told Newsweek.
"Her elderly owner became too sick to care for her and the owner's family thought she was blind and 'too old' so they asked to have her put down."
The vet's office, however, had other ideas and decided to contact Muttville Senior Dog Rescue for help. Senior dogs represent one of the most at-risk groups in animal shelters in the U.S.
Pet Pardon, a campaign group calling for an end to the use of kill shelters, estimates that older dogs spend up to four times longer in shelters than young canines. The adoption rate among senior dogs stands at 25 percent compared with 60 percent among younger dogs and puppies.
Thankfully, organizations like Muttville Senior Dog Rescue are out to change that.
First established in 2007 with a core mission to save the lives of older dogs that were considered "unadoptable" and were often routinely euthanized, they have gone from strength to strength in the years since, helped by foster carers like Lisa.
As Lisa puts it, Muttville Senior Dog Rescue was convinced Naomi had "plenty of life left to live" so enlisted her to help the Chihuahua mix get ready for life in a new forever home.
However, for Lisa, fostering a dog goes beyond the basics of meals, playtime and walks. For her, that also included a spot of pampering and indulgence, which is why they hopped in the car and headed off for a puppuccino together.
It was a very special experience for Naomi. "Her previous owner never took her anywhere," Lisa explained. "I wanted to treat her while I was fostering."
The ensuing trip was captured in a video posted to TikTok under the handle allthefosterpups, sparking delight among viewers. One said she was clearly "living her best life," with another commenting that "she deserves every puppuccino."
Lisa said Naomi "loved" her very first puppuccino and while the sweet treat was a welcome surprise, she's had an even better one in the weeks since the clip was filmed.
"She is getting adopted by a lovely young couple who live in the Bay Area," Lisa revealed. "They already have another senior dog who looks just like Naomi."
Looks like this could be the first of many puppuccinos to come.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Correction 09/15/23 at 11:30 a.m. ET; A previous version of this article referred to Muttville Senior Dog Rescue as Muttsville Senior Dog Rescue
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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