Patricia Iron* was only 62 when she decided to make a plan for her large, loveable dogs, Mac and Wylie.
While Patricia had worked for a different animal welfare organization, she was familiar with the OHS Friends Forever™ program, which guarantees the care of pets who survive their owner.
Patricia had done her research and was confident that Friends Forever would take good care of her boys. Patricia included OHS in her will with specific instructions that should she become incapacitated, or when she died, she wanted Mac and Wylie to come to OHS.
When Patricia died in November of 2015, her personal representative contacted OHS and made arrangements for her boys to come to the shelter.
The gentle giants each had many admirers, but Patricia wanted them to be adopted together as a bonded pair.
Together, Mac and Wylie weighed over 180 pounds, so finding the right match for them took a little longer than the average stay of one week. To help the dogs find a great match, OHS staff and volunteers made a video for their online profiles, which you can watch below.
Mac and Wylie Find their Match
On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Mandy Weaver visited OHS looking for a puppy. “I played with a puppy first, but ended up adopting an eight- and a 12-year-old,” Mandy laughingly recounts.
The veterinarian records and medical history that came with them indicated typical ailments of older, large-breed dogs. “Mac came with a number of hip and joint problems and daily medication,” said Mandy, “and Wylie was receiving regular chiropractic treatments for senior stiffness and pain.”
Mandy’s boyfriend, Dennis Lynch, wasn’t too sure about the match, but within one day, Mac and Wylie were lounging on the couch with the resident cat. “I’m so happy we found them!” says Mandy.
Wylie quickly taught them that he was well named, as he was wily and beguiling. “He had a huge personality,” said Mandy. He was an old man stuck in his ways: he didn’t like men on bikes or small white cars. Even the neighbors would stare at how he would go berserk with excitement when his leash was brought out. Wylie also was a water dog and loved to swim in any weather.
“Being that he was 12 when we adopted him, we knew he wouldn’t be with us long-term, so we gave him as good a life as we possibly could have,” said Mandy. Even on his last day of life, Mandy and Dennis helped Wylie hobble to the river so he could do what he loved the most—go for a swim. Wylie peacefully passed away in May of 2016.
Since 1994, when the Friends Forever program was founded, hundreds of individuals have made a plan for their pets. “The program provides peace of mind that should the need arise, the Oregon Humane Society stands ready to find carefully-matched, loving homes for pets,” said Gary Kish, OHS Vice President of Development.
*Patricia’s personal representative said Patricia proudly supported OHS and wanted other people to know about the importance of including pets in their estate planning process. Full name used with permission.
FIVE YEAR UPDATE
It’s been almost five years since Mandy Weaver and Dennis Lynch adopted bonded pair Mac and Wylie, who were 8 years old and 12 years old at the time. Mandy originally came to OHS for a puppy; but it was love at first sight when she laid eyes on the bonded dogs, and ended up adopting them the very next day.
Unfortunately, Wiley was only with Mandy and Dennis for about six months, but he lived his best life up until his last day. It took a little while for Mac to get used to Wylie’s absence. At first, Mac would look around the house for him and once even mistook another dog at the river for Wylie. After about a month or two, he adjusted to being the only dog in the house, and his personality really blossomed, Mandy says. Mac now lives with cat pal, Felix, and still demands his two mile walks every day. Even though Mac has ongoing hip issues and has had two knee surgeries since his adoption, he is still a puppy at heart. He loves to go swimming in the river whenever he gets the chance, play with his best dog friends on the block, say hello to all the kids in the neighborhood, and shred sticks in the backyard. Mandy says adopting older pets are so worth it. “These two have been the oldest but have been two of the most rewarding dogs I’ve adopted. Mac brings so much love to the house. There is a nice sense of doing a little bit extra. Even with Wylie it was only six months, but it was six months of such joy.”
Read about other Friends Forever alumni.
