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Welcome to my Den Page!

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    Sleeping and eating

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    Sleeping

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    Equally both

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Hi World...

My name is Rocketman!

I had 14 amazing years full of tail wags, love, and purpose. I'm still delivering smiles and stories, one pawprint at a time.

  • image Age at Passing: 14 years old
  • image Year of Passing: 2025
  • image Gender: neutered male
  • image I have delivered collars!
  • image I have delivered emails!
  • image Likes for My Story!
  • image Tucson, AZ is where I lived
  • image The Dog was Adopted
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Why This Dog Was So Special

My friends have all made me promise that if I ever announce I’m heading to the shelter to adopt the oldest dog I can find, they’ll stage an intervention… and they’re probably right.

A few years ago, I read a notice on Nextdoor that the Pima Animal Care Center in Tucson was completely full. At the time, I already had three Border Collies, but I also had room in my home and room in my heart for one more dog.

The next day, I drove to the shelter and asked to meet the oldest dogs they had available.
The staff handed me a list of six dogs. As I walked through the kennels, I realized I was looking for a dog that most people would walk right past. Not because I wanted a challenge, but because I knew those were often the dogs who needed a home the most.
The shelter was overflowing with dogs. Kennel after kennel was full.

I met each of the six dogs on the list. Most of them still had a sparkle in their eyes, a hopeful look that seemed to say, “My family is still out there.” Then I came to the last kennel.
Inside were two dogs, but my eyes immediately went to a large yellow Labrador named Rocketman.

Rocketman was thirteen years old. His eyes were clouded with cataracts. Long dark tear stains ran down his face. He looked tired. More than anything, he looked sad. I went back to the front desk to ask about him, and they sent me to the shelter’s medical facility.

Rocketman had recently been released from their hospital. When he arrived at the shelter, both of his back legs had been paralyzed. Through treatment and determination, he had regained the ability to walk. He was deaf, suffered from severe hip and spinal issues, and came with a long list of medical challenges. I took him home that same day.

When I introduced him to my three Border Collies, I could almost read the expressions on their faces.

“You’re kidding, right?” To their credit, they accepted him immediately.

Rocketman never understood their obsession with tennis balls. While the Border Collies sprinted around the yard in pursuit of their latest mission, Rocketman preferred a slower pace. He seemed much more interested in a comfortable place to lie down and the possibility that food might be arriving soon. Over time, he settled into the household.

My veterinarian practices both Eastern and Western medicine, so Rocketman received a combination of medications, herbs, and plenty of supportive care. Despite all the challenges his aging body presented, he continued to get around surprisingly well for quite a while.

His favorite things in life were simple…Farmer’s Dog meals, long naps, and a soft place to rest. And, I like to think, being part of a family again.

I often wondered about the people who had him before me. What had his life been like? What adventures had he experienced? Why had he ended up at the shelter? Some questions never have answers.

What I do know is that Rocketman spent the last chapter of his life surrounded by dogs who accepted him, protected him, and loved him in their own Border Collie way. The arrangement worked out nicely for everyone. Rocketman got companionship, and the Border Collies got one more audience member for their endless ball games.
Rocketman lived with us for another two years. For a dog with his age and medical history, that felt like a gift.

When I think of Rocketman today, I don’t think about his cataracts, his deafness, or his aching joints. I think about an old yellow Labrador who arrived carrying the weight of many years and left knowing he belonged somewhere.

Sometimes the greatest gift we can give a dog isn’t a long life. Sometimes it’s simply a good ending.

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As dogs age, hearing loss may diminish their connection & heighten their risks, but it doesn’t have to limit their joy.

If dogs live long enough, they will most likely lose their hearing. Beyond missing the friendly call of their owner, dog’s lives are profoundly affected by deafness. A hearing-impaired dog is more likely to become injured, be abandoned, and be prematurely euthanized.

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