Every dog deserves to live a life full of fun, love, and happiness. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Not only are countless pups forced to live on the streets, but they also don’t have access to food, shelter, and proper medical care. Because of this, many doggos are diagnosed with conditions that are life-threatening.

Luckily, the world is full of hoomans who dedicate their lives to rescuing stray dogs and giving them the care they need.

It’s Never Too Late

Sheridan is an animal lover who adores helping animals in need. With her four dogs, a foster, and even a little hedgehog, you would think her house was full. But when she got a note that a furry friend needed help, she quickly made space for one more.  

Ava spent her days wandering the streets, looking for scraps to survive. But when she was picked up by an incredible rescue, her life drastically changed.

After she underwent some medical examinations, the shelter staff realized she had some heart issues. They decided to perform heart surgery immediately and put a stent in, but they couldn’t heal her completely. Unfortunately, Ava didn’t have much time left.

In order to take her mind off the heartbreaking truth, Sheridan decided to take Ava in. However, things didn’t really go according to plan.

“I had to think about that and the undertaking if I did want to keep her permanently but as soon as she came home I was like ‘I don’t think her medical status matters’,” Sheridan told Geobeats.

After spending just a couple of days in her new home, Ava’s family fell head over heels for her, making it impossible to let her go. And Ava is loving it!

She finally found out what it felt like to be a part of a loving family who loved spending time with her. Ava became the most active pup on the block, doing everything her heart desired.  

Little Furry Helper

Sheridan continued taking in foster pups and it’s safe to say that Ava was all about it.

Whenever she brought home puppies, Ava would jump all around them, giving them the warmest welcome party ever. And if there was a little pup who was a bit nervous about their new home, she would rush to it and reassure it that it was safe.

“She is so welcoming and she just gives them time to get to know her. She is really good with boundaries and she is really good at reading other dogs. They always think she is like, mom,” she added.

Having all these puppies around really did make Ava feel so much better. However, Sheridan was constantly reminded that Ava only had six months to live. But even with this, she continued to take her heart medications daily.

As the months went by, Sheridan was shocked to notice that Ava felt better than ever. And three years later, she is still here!

“She is six and they didn’t expect her to make it anywhere near that. I hope that she can inspire people to realize that there are so many animals like her that were overlooked. They are all great dogs that just want loving homes,” Sheridan concluded.

Ava has been living the happiest life ever since.

She adores running around the beach with her doggo siblings as well as being the best nanny to all of the foster pups that come her way.

May her story be a reminder that you should never give up hope as better days are coming!