Kathryn LaRoche is fond of older animals.Without hesitation, she adopted Sonny, a senior dog at an animal shelter.Sonny, finally with a home, felt grateful for Kathryn’s love, which he constantly shows her through her sweet little ways.Real love truly transcends time and age.Sonny, a 16-year-old dog, is the oldest resident in an animal shelter in Indianapolis. For most people, Sonny’s age can become a hitch that would make it hard for them to adopt and bring him home.

But it isn’t exactly the case with Kathryn LaRoche.Kathryn, who used to own a 20-year-old cat, has a fascination for older animals. So, when she came across Sonny through the Indy Humane website, she knew instantly she’d be taking Sonny home with her.Apparently, Kathryn’s cat passed away, and living alone especially during the pandemic does her no good. Sonny came just right in time, as Kathryn wanted to open her home to another older animal.

“It was really heartbreaking, but made me realize how great senior pets can be,” she said.

She then prepared her home to be Sonny’s home before she went to the shelter to pick him up. Kathryn wanted to be sure that when she takes Sonny home, he would feel welcome and cozy right away.

“I spent the days before the meeting making sure I had everything ready for him at home,” she said, “so that if he did come home with me, he would have beds and toys.”

When Kathryn went to the shelter to finally meet Sonny, she was more than 100% sure Sonny is the one for her. Although the shelter volunteers wanted her to really think hard about it, she wasted no time and signed the paperwork.

“They said I could spend about 30 minutes with him to make a decision, but I went in to fill out the paperwork after five,” Kathryn said.

On their way home, Kathryn noticed how Sonny was smiling from ear to ear. He couldn’t just stop smiling, and at that sweet moment, Kathryn knew she made the right decision.

Sonny seemed to be feeling all the love and was really grateful for his new mom and his new home, as he gets a little bit too clingy with Kathryn, as if saying, “mom, thank you for adopting me and giving me a home. I want to be as close to you as possible.”

“It’s only been a few days, but I can tell he’s already starting to trust me more and he has become super cuddly,” Kathryn said. “He always wants to be in the same room as me.”

For Kathryn, all she ever wanted was a companion in life, and Sonny is the perfect fit. She vowed to just love him as he is.

“He still has so much love to give and I feel really lucky that I get to spoil him for the rest of his days,” she said.