Gucci, an 11-year-old Chihuahua mix, was recently adopted in what seems like a perfect match for a 100-year-old California resident.
Johanna Carrington has had many pets over the years, including eight Pekingese at one point when she and her late husband were living together. After Carrington’s previous dog, Rocky, passed away, her home felt unusually quiet. When she told her daughter, Debbie Carrington, 64, that she wanted to adopt another dog, they were concerned that a shelter would not allow a woman her age to adopt a pet.
Thankfully, one of their Moss Beach neighbors works as a volunteer for Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco and thought the group might be able to assist. It turned out that Gucci, who was then known as Gnocchi, had just been saved from a hoarding situation involving 22 dogs. The little dog appeared prepared to live alone in a home where he could receive a lot of love and care.
Eddie Martinez, Johanna Carrington’s caregiver, agreed to walk Gucci every day and assist with his care as a condition of the adoption. Gucci’s foster parent drove the little dog to meet Carrington on September 2, and the latter made himself at home right away.
Carrington said, “He came to the house like he’d been here before. It was remarkable. He saw me sitting on my chair, jumped up on me and sat on my lap. He made himself very, very comfortable. He was just our baby right away.”
She has given her new friend “oodles and oodles” of toys that he enjoys fetching, and she also massages his back while they both watch TV. Gucci enjoys creating a cozy nest in their bed’s blankets at night.
Carrington hopes to have a good time with Gucci this December as she turns 101. She “definitely” believes that spending time with pets is one of the secrets to a long, happy life, even though she attributes her longevity to a healthy lifestyle (she has never had a cigarette or even a sip of alcohol).
“Animals bring so much happiness in our home,” she said. “It’s unbelievable.”
