Noel was found on a cold winter night just before Christmas in 2018. A good Samaritan spotted her frail body trying to cross the road and she looked disoriented. When the stranger picked her up, he saw why; she was elderly and appeared blind and deaf. He took her to a local shelter where she received immediate care, some food and a warm bed. She weighed in at 8.5 pounds; the vet estimated her age to be 14-16 years old. Northeast Boston Terrier Rescue was contacted and answered the call. A local volunteer was contacted and within a short time she was in a foster home. For the first few weeks, she slept cuddled up on laps and would burrow herself under blankets. When she had recovered enough, she started down the path towards addressing her bigger medical issues. Little Noel needed 18 teeth pulled, several mammary tumors removed and her spay. Over the course of several months, she grew stronger and started coming out of her shell. She loved going on adventures in her fenced in yard. She played with toys, even if only for a minute; she would shake them up ferociously then walk a few steps and lay down. She found her tiny bark and would let it be known when she was hungry or ready to be carried up to bed. She started giving kisses. Noel has gained enough weight to be considered normal size now tipping the scales at 12.5. Her hair has grown back from most of her bald spots, and she is quite spunky for an old lady. Like most senior dogs, Noel has ongoing issues that come naturally with age. Her cataracts continue to progress, and one eye is growing larger with pressure that will soon need surgery. And her fat pug like tongue peeks out of her mouth permanently. But there’s no shortage of kisses and feisty little dances that show she’s still got life in her. Senior dogs have a quiet dignity and ask for so little and make the best companions. A lot of shelters and rescues have senior animals that people overlook because of age. Like my mom used to say, “You can’t discuss butterfly magic with caterpillar people.” So if you believe in magic, and are looking to share the best part of your heart with a dog, don’t forget to check out the seniors. There are lots of Noel’s just waiting to be found.