Athena

Healing and enjoying her new home

Final Refuge

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Please note: The dogs in ODH's Final Refuge care are not adoptable due to medical reasons and all are in permanent homes. Your sponsorship supports the veterinary expenses for these dogs - and we thank you!

In October of 2025 we shared a plea to help a senior dog named Athena, who needed a permanent home. Not much was known about this girl when she landed in the shelter. She had been found abandoned on the side of a road and because she was a senior who needed a lot of medical care, shelter staff contacted Old Dog Haven.

Brand new forever fosters were found for Athena and they have done a fabulous job with her care! Athena arrived with a healing ear hematoma and UTI. With veterinary care and treatment from her fosters, those have cleared up. Then she was in heat for about 3 weeks! Thanks to Old Dog Haven’s donors, her medical issues have been addressed and she will be spayed next month. Spaying her will decrease her chance of developing mammary tumors and end the danger of deadly pyometra for her.

Athena’s fosters report that she loves being outside, whether that’s going for walks, supervising her fosters while they do their yard chores or just hanging out on the deck. This well-loved girl enjoys monitoring the activity outside her home (note the photo of her looking out the window).

Her fosters have worked not only on her physical health but also on her emotional health. They have introduced her to toys, and because she is deaf, they have used training techniques using hand signals and touches. It seems she has not had much opportunity for relaxation in her past life. Trust and confidence can be developed in a dog when they are shown compassion, patience, and love. Recently, her fosters were excited to share that Athena had asked for extra pets. While that may not sound like much to celebrate for some, with a dog like Athena, it is golden.

Athena has certainly found care, comfort, and joy. She especially adores her foster dad; they are buddies! This well-mannered girl is thriving, and that makes us so happy.

We are so thankful to all of you who support our mission to rescue senior dogs in need. We hope you are enjoying the stories we are sharing and that you will share them with your friends.

 

Athena is sponsored by:

  • Katherine Busching & Rick Smale of Mill Creek WA - in memory of DeeDee & Sophie - Lifetime