Once abandoned chihuahua ages gracefully
She was left in a burlap sack in an Alabama veterinarian’s office 16 years ago, already well into middle age.
Last month, Chloe celebrated her 22nd birthday with a Feb. 27 party at Quatro Locos Tacos and Cantina in Port St. Joe.
“Her age is a conservative estimate because she was of an advanced age when she was found,” said owner Margaret Schroeder.
She and her husband Chris, who now live in Gulf County, adopted the 20-year-old chihuahua in November 2022 while attending the funeral in Demopolis, Alabama of her aunt Marjorie Reinecke, who had passed away at age 97.
Fourteen years before that, Chloe had been left in a burlap sack with other dogs in 2008 at the Demopolis veterinary office of Margaret’s cousin, Dr. Ted Stuedeman.
“We like to think Chloe moved to The Sunshine State to live her best life,” said Margaret. “She is doing well considering her age. She has a good appetite for her doggy filet mignon in gravy and takes no medication.”
The Schroeders also have a 14-year-old schnoodle, Odie, who they adopted in St. Louis in 2013. “Odie loves his ‘sister,’ ” said Margaret.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.