Simba is a 13 years old German Shepherd who came into Oldies Club care in December 2024 after his owners emigrated. When he first arrived at his foster home, he understandably had some separation anxiety and would go searching for people whenever they left the room. It was clear that Simba had very weak back legs and was entirely deaf. Sadly, the vets confirmed that the weakness in his hind legs is progressive and will gradually get worse as time goes on.
Simba also has some paralysis in his trachea which can make it hard for him to breathe when he is hot or overexcited. When he tries to bark, he sounds more like a goose honking and sometimes no sound comes out at all! The vet also found a mass on his spleen but his age and the issues with his windpipe this meant that it was too dangerous to try and operate.
Due to his medical issues it was decided that Simba would be placed in our sponsor dog scheme. This means he will remain in his lovely foster home on a permanent basis, with the charity paying his vet bills for the rest of his life.
Simba is the sweetest cuddlebug and loves lots of fuss and attention from people. Whilst he can no longer wag his tail due to the degenerative issue, his face still lights up like a puppy when getting a cuddle or playing with his favourite ball. He can’t run and fetch but he will drop the ball so it can be thrown back to him while he sits to catch it.
Despite having weak bag legs Simba still loves to get outside and explore. He had a rear harness to help support his legs so that he can manage some very short walks and some rides in a trolley. His foster home has lots of mats down to help him navigate the house without slipping and he soon found his confidence.
Simba has a bed of his own but he only uses it to hide treats and toys in, preferring to sleep on one of his many rugs and mats. He loves to meet people at the local café but his favourite thing seems to be sitting in the car boot where he happily stays watching the world go by.
Although his separation anxiety is much better now, Simba does sometimes get lonely in the night and will whine until he gets a cuddle and then he’ll sleep soundly. With time and patience from his foster family Simba has begun to realise that when people leave the room, they are not leaving forever, and he has settled into his new life.
If you would love to offer a home to an oldie but your circumstances aren’t suitable, perhaps you would be kind enough to sponsor Simba, or one of the other special oldies we are caring for in our sponsor dog scheme.