Welland retirement home resident forced to give up dog

It’s been a rough week for 94-year-old Henry Smith because he misses his best friend Lobo who he was forced to give up because of management at his Welland retirement home.

“I’ve had this dog for two years,” Smith says. “This dog is like a baby to me.”

The Villa de Rose retirement residence encourages their seniors to find companionship in animals. That’s exactly what Smith did when he adopted Lobo.

“I’d take him out and drive him in the car, I’d go buy his breakfast and come back.” the former dog owner said.

The dog lived at the residence for two years. But recently management told Smith that the dog had to go. In a phone conversation with General Manager Dustin Gibson, he says Lobo bit another dog.

“It was witnessed by nine other residents and some staff members,” Gibson said. “Mr. Smith’s dog had the other dog in a big bite, I guess where you can say the other dog was welping.”

Ann Venketeswaran is a resident at the home who knew the dog very well. She says Lobo never bit another animal or person.

“Not at all,” Venketeswaran said. “The only time he barked was at the mail lady.”

Other residents said the dog would bark profusely at the man or woman delivering the mail. Other than that they said the dog was well behaved and didn’t pose any other issues.

The resident closest to Smith says she’s noticed a difference in his personality since Lobo’s been gone.

“He seems a bit detached and withdrawn,” Venketeswaran said.

The dog’s bed, water bowl and toys are still scattered around Smith’s unit with the hope that maybe one day Lobo will be allowed back.

However, management has agreed to let the dog visit Smith occasionally. Lobo was taken in by cleaning staff at the residence.