Lovable 23-year-old dog receives 'Lifetime Achievement' gong
The wait is over - it’s time to meet the winners of the Mirror People’s Pet Awards with Webbox.
Our team went through thousands of nominations to produce a shortlist for the judging panel, who chose which incredible animals and animal lovers should receive a trophy.
We’ll be revealing them every week - starting with Ty, our Lifetime Achievement winner.
He captured hearts across the country when he found a loving home at the grand old age of 22.
Now pooch Ty, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier Dalmatian Cross, is thriving with his new owners, listening to gospel music and enjoying walks with his doggy pals Fizz and Gizmo.
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“Ty has made a huge difference to our lives,” says owner Bruno de Brito, 35, from Penarth. “My heart was complete with Fizz and Gizmo, but when Ty came into our lives, he found his corner in there, and it now belongs to him.”
Ty arrived at the Dogs Trust charity in Bridgend, south Wales, in summer 2022, after a change in his family’s circumstances meant they could no longer keep him.
Ty with his current owners, Lee and Bruno (Supplied)At 22, the team believed he was the oldest dog they’d ever cared for, and set about finding a home for the “terrific older gentleman”.
Bruno, who adopted Ty along with partner Lee Szopa, recalls: “Back then, we were worried about our other dog Fizz, a Staffie, who was getting older at 16.
“Lee’s mother sent us details she’d read about Ty to reassure us that if he was 22, Fizz could have many more years ahead of her. But instead of taking it simply as a reason to think positively about Fizz, things took off from there. I looked at Lee and said, ‘I want him’. Luckily, Lee agreed.”
Within a matter of weeks, the pair were bringing Ty home.
“The charity told us he would probably be nervous and agitated in the car home,” recalls Bruno, deputy manager at a care home. “But because I’m a carer, I quickly reassured him, and he was fine. We thought he might want absolute quiet when he got home too, but he wanted to be with us and the other dogs all the time. That’s how he’s carried on.
“In the early days when we took him to the park, we’d go one way and Ty would go the other, so we’d have to change our plans and do what he wanted. But over time, that’s completely changed and he’s happy to fit in with what we’re doing. He’s a beautiful, loving dog, and he’s sensitive to the needs of Fizz and Gizmo too.”
Ty lives with owners Bruno and Lee, and fellow pooches Fizz and Gizmo (Supplied)While Ty, who is now 23, was a fan of classical music before he found Bruno and Lee, his tastes have expanded since then.
“I’m a devoted Christian so I play my gospel music in the house, and he really enjoys it,” says Bruno. “He still loves classical music too, but it’s amazing that we can enjoy my music together. We’re over the moon Ty has won a ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award with the People’s Pet Awards as he really is such a wonderful dog.
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“Even at 23, he’s playful and intelligent. It’s an opportunity to ask people not to give up on older dogs. They are just as deserving of a loving home as any other animal.
“If Ty is anything to go by, older dogs make wonderful companions. Every moment we have with him is a joy.”
Send us your animal snaps
We love a cute pet picture, and so do our friends at Webbox.
And we want to see your favourite photos of your animal pals, so please send them in – the cuter the better. We’ll share as many as we can on our site, and in our brilliant Pet Club newsletter too.
The local fire service saved Rocky the cat, who was stuck up a tree in Oldham (RSPCA / SWNS)This week’s snap features one-year-old moggy Rocky, who had been stuck at the top of a tree in his owners’ garden in Oldham, Greater Manchester, for two days.
Rescuers from Manchester Fire Service spotted Rocky's terrified face poking out from foliage 23 feet up and used a ladder to bring him down last week. He was cold and hungry, but unharmed by his ordeal.
Send your snaps to [email protected] or tag our socials. Make sure to tell us a bit about your pet, what makes them special to you, and where you live. We can’t wait to see them!
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