My husband (then boyfriend) Charlie and I started looking into adopting a dog in the fall of 2017. We had attended a few events around the Bay Area and came across Muttville during our search. It had never occurred to us to adopt a senior dog, but when we started seeing some of the sweet pups coming through Muttville, we knew right away this was the right path for us. We met with a few dogs at Muttville but didn’t quite find the perfect fit right away.
We saw Beans on the website and were so moved by his story! We went to his foster’s apartment to meet him, and totally fell in love. Beans plopped right onto my lap like we’d known each other for years (I’ve included a picture of the moment!). While we were both sure that Beans was “the one,” Charlie was acting very strangely and for some reason was really pushing me to wait a few more days, as we had a weekend trip planned to Mendocino.
When Beans’ foster agreed to keep him for us over the weekend if we moved forward with the adoption, I was able to convince Charlie, and we signed all of the paperwork to adopt Beans before taking off for our trip. Little did I know, Charlie was going to propose to me that weekend! We were engaged on February 3, 2018, and brought Beans home on February 4th. It was a big weekend for us!
When we adopted Beans, he was in really rough physical and emotional shape having been both a stray and blind, but Muttville helped put him on the path to a full recovery. Since then, he has kicked all of his skin itchiness and food allergies through a healthy diet, underwent a double-enucleation surgery (which has helped him feel so much better) and loves to get exercise through his short walks around our neighborhood every day.
This February, we celebrated Beans’ 19th (!!)-ish birthday and his 7th adopt-a-versary! Our family, friends, and neighbors all affectionately refer to him as “Bean-jamin Button” because he seems to be aging in reverse!
Beans loves going on trips with us to the coast, to his “country home” in Orinda to spend time with his doggy grandparents, and especially to his happy place, Lake Tahoe. He is a brave little guy and loves to sniff and wander around off-leash at the beach, even though he is blind! He has even traveled to Pennsylvania on an airplane a few times to spend time with his other doggy grandmother and his doggy cousins. He loves getting baths (only at home with us – not a fan of the groomer!), going to the park, and sneaking bites of peanut butter, baguettes, and cheesy scrambled eggs (his favorite people foods).
Beans has been such a loving and loyal companion to us through our engagement, our marriage, pregnancy, and multiple moves to new apartments and ultimately to our current home in Oakland. On a personal note, 2023 was a particularly challenging year for our family, and Beans was right there beside us through it all. Some days our walks around the neighborhood and cuddles on the couch were the only things keeping us going. We are very happy to share that Beans welcomed a long-awaited baby human brother in July 2024! Beans is enjoying sniffing him, bumping into his toys, and licking up the goodies he drops from his high chair.
We feel immensely grateful to Muttville for bringing Beans into our lives. We feel so lucky to be spending his “golden years” with him and showering him each day with love and affection. Anyone and everyone who crosses paths with Beans grows to love him immediately and recognizes what a special dog he is.
Thank you, Muttville, for the amazing work you do and for giving dogs like Beans a second chance at happiness!
Watch Beans’ Muttville journey here!
Alexa, Charlie, baby Jude, & Beans
4/1/25
Are you the proud parent of a Muttville dog? Send us your story! Include three of your favorite photos and send it to success_stories@muttville.org with the subject line 'Success Story'.
