Although we would love for all dogs to celebrate their 20th birthday, this is not often the case as most dogs do not reach this age. Recently, however, August, a golden retriever also known as Augie, celebrated her 20th birthday.
What did Augie do to celebrate? With cake, of course. Augie enjoyed a delicious, dog-friendly carrot cake and spent time with her golden retriever siblings Bruce, Belle, and Sherman. Jennifer and Steve Hetterscheidt, her pet parents, were present to take photos and sing the birthday song.
Twenty-year lifespans are not usual for golden retrievers or the vast majority of other dog breeds. Golden retrievers normally have an average lifespan that is around 10 to 12 years. Augie is the first known of her breed to reach the 20-year mark.
Before finding her forever home with the couple who adopted her through Golden Retriever Rescue Southern Nevada, Augie had lived in two separate homes.
Augie was born on April 24, 2000, and was raised in a loving family until 2007, when a divorce during the housing crisis caused her to be sold online via the website Craigslist. Fortunately, a nice second owner came into the picture. Years later, Augie’s second owner entered assisted living and was forced to give up the dog.
Jennifer received a call from a social worker in St. George, Utah, about a client entering assisted living who had to give up her golden retriever. Jennifer drove to Utah in order to get the dog.
Augie was adopted by Jennifer and Steve when she was 16 years old. The couple had no qualms about adopting a senior pet, as they had witnessed numerous wonderful senior dogs become the best pets over the years.
They do not regret adopting Augie and they wanted to give her a home and made her a very important part of their family.
Source: jmkothera
