When Gillian Andrade spotted Colin on the Dogs Trust website, she didn't see a 16-year-old dog nearing the end of his road. She saw a pair of soft brown eyes and a face that needed a home.

"My heart melted," she says simply.

Colin, a terrier crossbreed with a grey muzzle and a spring in his step that belies his years, became the first dog rehomed from Dogs Trust Glasgow in 2026. He spent just 26 days at the centre before Gillian arrived on January 6 to take him home to West Lothian — and to introduce him to Poppy, her two-year-old Jack Russell terrier.

It is a story that begins in less happy circumstances. Colin was rescued from council kennels in Northern Ireland through Dogs Trust's Chance of a Lifetime scheme, known as COAL, which transfers vulnerable dogs from pounds across Northern Ireland to rehoming centres throughout the UK. He arrived at Dogs Trust Glasgow in December 2025, a stray with no known history and no one waiting for him.

Within weeks, everything changed.

A heart that melted twice

Gillian had been looking for a companion for Poppy when she came across Colin's profile online. She knew immediately.

"I know older dogs are often overlooked, and I don't like to think of older dogs in kennels during winter," she says. "I think both of my dogs will help each other in different ways. Colin is going to be so spoiled now."

Her instinct chimes with what rescue centres across the country have long known: senior dogs are routinely passed over in favour of puppies and younger animals, despite often being calmer, better trained, and every bit as loving.

Claire Cairney, rehoming manager at Dogs Trust Glasgow, watched Colin leave with a smile that said everything.

"Seeing Colin head home with Gillian is the best start possible to the New Year," she says. "We are not surprised he melted Gillian's heart, as he had the same effect on us at the centre.

"Colin is a very well-behaved lad who is sprightly for his age, which just goes to show that a dog's age doesn't define their nature and character.

"We couldn't be happier that he was rescued from kennels in Northern Ireland and, within a month, has found a loving new home in Scotland. What an adventure he has been on — with the happiest of endings."

Twenty years of second chances

Colin's adoption comes at a significant moment for Dogs Trust Glasgow, which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026. Over two decades, the centre has transformed the lives of thousands of dogs. Last year alone, the team rehomed more than 400 animals of all ages, breeds, and backgrounds.

The charity is keen to remind potential adopters that older dogs make wonderful companions. They tend to come housetrained, have settled personalities, and require less exercise than their younger counterparts. For those worried about veterinary costs, Dogs Trust may offer financial support for dogs with pre-existing health conditions.

"When rehoming an older dog, what you see is what you get," the charity says. "Their personality has already been shaped, so there should be no surprises in the future."

Colin's new chapter

As for Colin himself, retirement looks rather comfortable. He has a warm home in West Lothian, a new sister in Poppy, and an owner who fell in love at first sight.

Dogs Trust Glasgow still has dogs of all ages looking for their forever homes. Their profiles are available on the Dogs Trust website — and if Colin's story proves anything, it is that the oldest faces sometimes have the most love left to give.