It was less than a week ago that we shared the sweet story of Poochie, the senior dog that country singer Luke Bryan and his wife Caroline adopted.
The 18-year-old Australian Shepherd mix, who was surrendered by his former owners after they supposedly developed an allergy, expected to spend his final days in foster homes before the Bryans spotted him on social media and applied to adopt him.
Sadly, just two weeks after Poochie's adoption, Caroline revealed that he had passed away in an emotional Instagram post.
Still, the Bryans chose to celebrate the way Poochie touched their lives in their short time together with their tribute to him.
"'If the kindest souls were rewarded with the longest lives, dogs would outlive us all,'" Caroline wrote.
"My heart is sad but full to post this.. Our sweet Prince Poochie has passed away. He lived 18 years and was loved by so many people."
Caroline even shared that her sons - Tate, 8, and Bo, 10 - "loved to hear him snore when he slept!"
She ended the post by urging her fans to "adopt, don't shop," a reminder that there are plenty of deserving dogs like Poochie in need of a good home in shelters from coast to coast.
While Luke only had a short time to bond with his new dog, he replied "Loving my new buddy," to a tweet about Poochie's adoption story.
Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue, the shelter that connected the Bryans with Poochie, also posted a tribute to the dog on their Facebook page.
"While we would have loved for Poochie to have lived another 18 years, we are grateful for the time we gave him with our foster, Lacey Marie and with his adoptive family, the Bryans," they said.
"Poochie enjoyed his time with the Bryan family. He even felt well enough to stroll in their pastures and be a dog again. He sadly passed away a few days ago, but he was loved and passed in his sleep on a big comfy bed. He is now buried on the Bryan farm amid other beloved pets."
Senior dogs are often left to linger in animal shelters longer than younger animals. But no matter a pet's age, they deserve a loving home with owners who care for them.
Proverbs specializes in finding foster homes for "seniors, sickly and injured animals," where they can live out the rest of their lives in comfort.
Poochie spent his finals days on the Bryans' farm, playing with their sons and other animals including dogs, goats, and chickens.
[H/T: People]
