photos courtesy Facebook/DelaneyGeorge
It’s hard to imagine Delaney George wouldn’t be spreading joy today if not for Living Grace Canine Ranch.
Befriending people from all over the community, helping senior residents adjust to a new home and even find their voice again—Georgetown’s newest canine celebrity Delaney George has touched many lives since joining The Delaney at Georgetown Village’s family last November.
Awaiting euthanasia in a Dallas shelter a year ago, George was rescued at the last minute by a Living Grace volunteer who had seen his “Last Chance” post on Facebook. The Bertram ranch for senior dogs became his new home for a few months, during which he also received skin disease treatments.
Knowing several senior communities welcome canine visitors, Living Grace founder Rhonda Minardi suggested The Delaney become a forever foster home for George, while Living Grace continues to manage his medical and financial needs. “I told Rhonda we could try it for two days,” Delaney Memory Care Director Amanda Herndon says. “We fell in love with him immediately. We called her and said, ‘We’re not giving him back.’ ”
A NEW, NEW HOME
It took a week for George to come out of his shell, and he has been helping others come out of theirs ever since. “We had residents who rarely came out of their rooms or went outside. He gave them a purpose to go outside for walks. We’ve had nonverbal residents with later stage dementia who began talking to him. If we have people who are agitated, exit seeking, or having a tough time, or new residents feeling a little uneasy in a new environment, George spends time with them and helps them relax.”
George is not just popular at The Delaney. “We have people requesting to see him and take him for walks. I have to make appointments for visits, he’s so popular,” says Mindy House, who handles George’s social media. “It has snowballed into people bringing treats, beds, clothes, and blankets. He’s quite famous. We had a huge birthday party for him in May and more than 100 people showed up. Just out of the blue, people will say, ‘I’m passing through, can I meet George?’ He touches so many lives. You can’t have a bad day with George.”
Follow the adventures of Delaney George on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.