Grandpa’s arrival at the Oakdale Animal Shelter was met with gentle consideration for his elderly body. Picked up as a stray, the older dog seemed bewildered and exhausted. No telling when he had eaten last or where he had been sleeping.

But one thing was immediately clear. Grandpa was special. Beautiful manners and an abundant love of people were on display at every encounter with staff and volunteers.

“Even when he was in the yard he preferred being with people,” said Christine Mallin, a shelter volunteer. “He was happy just snuggling with me on the grass.”

After several days and Grandpa remaining unclaimed, it was time to find him a forever home. Senior dogs can be especially difficult to place in homes that can care for them in their advanced years, so shelter volunteers went right to work. No time was wasted looking in the wrong places.

The first call was to the Thulani Sr. German Shepherd Rescue in Aromas. The Thulani organization takes in senior German Shepherd dogs who need a place to live out their last years in comfort and safety.

Robert Jachens is the founder of Thulani. He said his organization grew out of the frustration of so many German Shepherd dogs dying in shelters when they are older. Many are ill and afraid. Most are never even shown to the public for adoption.

“Thulani provides a vital service that no other rescue provides,” he said. “To date we are proud to say we have saved more than 700 senior German Shepherd dogs, providing them with medical care and the chance to live out their natural lives in a loving environment.”

Thulani acceptance criteria starts with dogs between the ages of eight and 10 years old. Original estimates for Grandpa’s age put him at seven years old, too young for the program. Jachens suggested a professional estimate by a veterinarian to answer that question.

Veterinary bills aren’t normally covered in a municipal shelter budget, but volunteers were determined that Grandpa’s journey home was not to be thwarted by lack of money.

The Oakdale Shelter Pet Alliance (OSPA) is a local organization that pays for homeless animal needs, including shelter residents, in Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon. They offered to pay the vet bill so the process could continue.

Oakdale veterinarian Dr. Ram Singh is the shelter’s partner veterinarian. He put the dog’s age at 10 to 11 years old. Was he too old to go now? Worse yet, a tumor was discovered that posed a risk to remove at Grandpa’s age. And who could pay for surgery anyway?

Even with all the bad news, Thulani was still on board with Grandpa. If hospice was what he needed, hospice would be provided.

Just a couple more questions needed answering, and Dr. Singh’s expertise was called upon once again. This time, good news prevailed. Astonishing news.

Dr. Singh, knowing Grandpa’s opportunity to go to the Thulani rescue and live out his life, offered to perform the tumor surgery. Free of charge.

On a Saturday afternoon, Dr. Singh and his team of assistants stayed after regular clinic hours to remove Grandpa’s tumor. He was also neutered so another sedation wouldn’t be necessary. The surgery was successful and Grandpa was released back to the shelter the following morning.

A few more days of respite, and Grandpa was cleared to travel. He was almost home.

Transfer to Thulani was scheduled for the following Saturday. At the last minute, the transporting volunteer fell ill and couldn’t travel. New plans quickly fell into place and another volunteer transported Grandpa to his forever home the next day, Sunday.

Jachens was on hand to welcome the elderly dog to his new home. As delighted as he was to welcome another dog into the safety and sanctuary of Thulani, he made it clear there was one thing that stood out to him about Grandpa’s case.

“A very important thing that attracted me to Grandpa was the amount of work that volunteers and everyone involved were willing to devote to saving him,” he said. “This level of cooperation and dedication was reinforced as we worked through the process.”

Sgt. Chelsie Stilwell is the Admin sergeant who oversees the shelter staff, animals and volunteers.

“It is such a heartwarming story of so many people helping a dog,” she said. “I am so grateful and blessed to work with such caring and committed volunteers and staff, and our partner veterinarian Dr. Singh. Grandpa’s rescue is truly a testimonial to the kindness of dog-loving humans.”

Grandpa has been renamed HarveyLuv and is enjoying senior living these days. There is talk of him going to live with a foster so he can be in a home, with a couch to nap on. For more information on the Thulani organization, visit: info@thulaniseniorGSR.org

This article was contributed by Laurie Fanjul, a volunteer with the City of Oakdale Animal Shelter.