'Humans Of New York' Honors Senior Dog Who Helped Other Pets Find Homes

“Humans of New York”  photographer Brandon Stanton doesn’t just create moving portraits of ordinary people — he clearly has a soft spot for canines as well.

Stanton’s dog, Susie , died on Friday, he wrote on Facebook in a tribute to his beloved pet. He adopted Susie five years ago, after he started petting the small dog on a stoop in Brooklyn and the owner revealed that he was no longer able to care for her. Stanton was sleeping on a friend's couch at the time, he wrote, but taking Susie was “one of the best decisions” he ever made.

“I’d never had a dog before,” he wrote. “It was a new experience. I was introduced for the first time to a dog’s unexplainable and unconditional love. After a few weeks, it seemed that Susie’s only concern in life was staying as close to me as possible. There was now a joyous reunion waiting for me at the end of every workday. And I learned that there are few greater blessings than a wildly happy dog greeting you at the door.” 

Susie was 12 years old when Stanton took her in. She served as the inspiration for his fiancée, Erin O’Sullivan, to create Susie’s Senior Dogs , a nonprofit that promotes the adoption of older dogs.

The nonprofit posted its own tribute to Susie, writing that she “spurred a movement bigger than she'll ever know.”

Hundreds of people commented on the posts with photos and stories of their own senior dogs. Some said Susie was their inspiration for adopting older pets .

It's a good moment to remember why senior pets — which are often overlooked in shelters — can make such amazing companions. Older animals are often calmer and more mellow than younger ones and are already trained, making them especially great pets for those with quieter lifestyles, like senior humans.