Maria BuckIt pains her to think of Rex being abandoned, particularly without teeth or the ability to defend himself if he “got in a jam.” She hopes families won’t give up on senior pets, and that more people will consider adopting them when they do need new homes.

Duke and Tiger Maynard-White visit residents at Harbor Village Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in New London, Connecticut.Tiger Maynard-White "touches" a woman's hand on the other side of the window at a skilled nursing facility.

In fact, many Lily's Legacy dogs have had short life expectancies due to health issues but defied the odds and lived much longer thanks to medical care and love, she said.