Patch Helps Heartbroken Dog, 'Patches,' Find New Home

PECONIC, NY — Just the names — Patch and Patches — prove that it was meant to be, a proverbial match made in heaven.

A post on North Fork Patch about "Patches," a heartbroken senior dog whose owner was placed in a nursing home, sparked an enormous outpouring of love as people reached out to say they'd give the sweet pup a new forever home.

Within minutes of the post, scores of emails and calls started coming in, said Gabrielle Stroup of the North Fork Animal Welfare League; at least three families headed straight to Peconic to meet Patches on Saturday.

And, within hours, Patches had found her forever home, just in time for the New Year's Eve celebration. She went home on Saturday.

"She is going home with two new moms and a little human sister," said Stroup.

Stroup credited Patch for the tremendous response. "This all happened because of the Patch story. I came in to a ton of voicemails and emails regarding 'Patches' after the Patch story and everyone had said they heard about 'Patches on Patch.' I would like to thank you so much for helping this girl get a great home for the new year."

Her heartbroken, sad eyes touched a collective chord: Patches, according to Stroup, is a 14-year-old dog, about the size of a beagle.

"Her owner and best friend has ended up in a nursing home," she said.

Patches was boarded at an animal hospital for two weeks "in the hope that he would return home and be able to take Patches back — but that is not going to happen," Stroup said.

But now, she'll ring in the new year surrounded by love in her new home.

According to new owner Jess Pignataro: "My wife Nikki saw the Patch story and Patches' picture on Facebook. She showed it to me, and we immediately agreed that we had to contact the shelter. About a year ago, we lost our dog Delilah, who was also adopted later in life — we adopted her when she was 10, and she lived with us for 4 years before she passed," she said. "Knowing that Patches was suddenly without a home and a family, we thought about how scared she must have been, and we went to the shelter to fill out the application right away."

The pair lives in Bayport with their daughter Ellison, 2.

Patches is a perfect fit for their family, Pignataro said. "Since we have a toddler, we spend a lot of time together at home when we aren’t working. We also love to be outdoors, and Patches can come along. We have two cats who are also 14 years old, so a 14-year-old dog seemed to fit right in."

Pignataro said she believes others should consider adopting older dogs. "We believe that older dogs still have a lot of love to give. They are perfect for families who want a calmer, less energetic dog, and often older dogs are already house trained. In cases like Patches', when older dogs are surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them, it’s heartbreaking because they are suddenly away from the only home they’ve known, and they’re frightened. We were so happy to have this chance to give Patches a new home."

After bringing Patches home Saturday night, Pignataro said: "She seems to be settling into her new home really well. She loves snuggling on the couch and running around in the yard. Ellie absolutely adores her and wants to be with her all day long. We are just thankful that we are able to give this sweet old gal a warm, loving home."

Photos courtesy North Fork Animal Welfare League.