A shelter for elderly dogs is mourning a resident and Captain Ron’s story will make you cry

A memorial photo album for an elderly rescue dog is reducing Facebook users to tears.

Captain Ron, a Rottweiler/Great Pyrenees mix, passed away on Saturday after a period of decline. He lived at the Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary (OFSDS) for the last years of his life.

Upon his passing, OFSDS shared an album containing 15 pictures of Captain Ron ranging from when he was a puppy to the ripe old age of 14. The album garnered over 45,000 reactions on Facebook.

“He was a salty ol’ dog who let everyone know what he wanted and where he was going. We joked that he was like a freight train. When he was on the move, he blasted his bark as he went through the house.

“He was also a big teddy bear. He loved to be around his people and slept right at the side of the human bed on his bed every night. He was a grouch but we could all see beyond that to his inner sweetness.”

During his time at the sanctuary he became something of a social media star, even running for Vice President during the 2016 doggy elections.

In a remarkable turn of events, his first owners recognised the Captain from a OFSDS Facebook post and got in contact to share photos from his time as a puppy and reveal his old name was Oscar.

“We love the fact that through Captain Ron and other senior dogs in our program, we are able to show folks that senior dogs can be a great addition to any family and a lot of fun to have around, says Zina.

“Also, because we loved Captain Ron, it warms our hearts to see the support that he has received.”

OFSDS is currently caring for 130 dogs, and has been established since 2012. As it’s name suggests it has a particular focus on finding homes for senior dogs, and providing education on how to care for older dogs.

If you’d like to see some of the dogs at OFSDS in action, you can view a live stream of the centre here.