At the age of 19, a lovely Cattle Dog mix named Ace was handed over to the Humane Society of Sonoma County located in Santa Rosa, California.
Just when things seemed challenging enough for this senior pup, a devastating wildfire occurred in Sonoma County.
As a result, Ace and other unadopted dogs at the shelter were relocated to the Sacramento SPCA to accommodate the influx of evacuees from the blaze.
This is how Ace found himself 150 miles away in Sacramento, in search of a new beginning.
Introducing Ace
The tale of the 19-year-old dog at the SPCA gained significant attention.
“I saw the rescue post, and although I didn’t know his breed, I recognized he was a 19-year-old dog. I immediately reached out to inquire about fostering him,” Bonnie, Ace’s foster mom, relayed to The Dodo.
Despite his age on paper, Ace exhibited energy and playfulness characteristic of a much younger dog.
“My sole purpose for fostering him was to get him out of the shelter. At nineteen, he had been through so much and deserved to be in a home,” she mentioned.
Upon his arrival at Bonnie’s home, Ace was quite distant, independent, and showed little interest in affection.
However, after three weeks, Ace became significantly more at ease and began to engage with Bonnie’s other dogs.
“To Ace, he feels youthful, almost like a teenager or an energetic younger dog,” remarked Bonnie.
Among Ace’s favorite things were his toys… in all varieties!
Even though he continued to frolic around like a pup, Ace required some dental care due to his age. His vision, too, was not in the best shape.
Ace underwent twelve dental extractions and needed to stay with Bonnie for several months during his recovery.
During this period, he became noticeably more loving and joyful. “When he came over and rested his head on my lap, nuzzling me, that pulled at my heartstrings. It was at that moment I decided to adopt him,” shared Bonnie.
The adoption was finalized just days before Christmas.
All that Bonnie truly wished for him was to experience happiness.
Unfortunately, that was not the outcome…
Lucky Ones Pack
Ace had always exhibited a unique and quirky personality, and given Bonnie’s lack of prior experience with Cattle Dogs, things didn’t unfold as smoothly as anticipated.
Ace was often aloof and primarily interested in his toys, a stark contrast to the typical family dog that engages with their owners.
“After he bit her, she chose to surrender him back to us. We are thankful for maintaining contact, as Cattle Dogs are not suited for every owner!” shared Lucky Ones Ranch, an animal sanctuary based in Vacaville, CA, in a Facebook post.
At Lucky Ones Ranch sanctuary, Ace could simply be himself.
“He preferred his toys over human interaction. He wasn’t interested in being petted or cuddle time, and we were perfectly fine with that. At 19 years of age, all we wanted was for him to be happy and to engage in what made him most comfortable,” they remarked.
During his stay at the ranch, Ace spent his days playing, wandering around, and napping.
After enduring so much, he finally found joy in doing what he loved and simply being a Cattle Dog.
Ace has remained utterly enchanted by toys, and there’s no intention to change that.
“We speculate he must have spent long periods alone, which led to his obsession with toys for entertainment,” shared Lucky Ones Ranch.
For an entire year and four months, Ace had a genuinely joyful existence.
The twenty-year-old Ace peacefully passed away at the ranch, surrounded by his loved ones, and of course, the toys he adored more than anything.
