Dan + Shay’s Dan Smyers Rescues Elderly Dog: ‘She Was Dealt a Tough Hand’
Hardcore Dan + Shay fans are well aware of musician Dan Smyers' love for dogs. The country singer-songwriter already has a big group of his own pups, and now, he and his wife, Abby, have rescued a tiny 16-year-old pooch who's experiencing a whole host of health problems.
The couple came across the dog at Wags and Walks Rescue in Nashville. Dan says the pup was already "16 years old, emaciated, no teeth, etc. All alone and terrified at the shelter. We weren't going to let her live the rest of her life like that." So, Dan and Abby took her home.
"We're glad this tiny pup is safe now and finally getting to feel love (possibly for the first time)," the Dan + Shay member continues. "She's making great strides, and we even saw some tail wagging."
But while the plan was initially for Dan and Abby to nurse the dog back to health before giving her away to another good home, a medical review of the pup seems to have forced an alternative: The couple adopted the dog as one of their own after they realized that it may not have much time left.
Dan adds that the dog "was dealt a tough hand in her previous life, but we're going to make up for lost love the rest of the time she has left. … We're happy to say that she [has a family] now."
Beyond finally having a loving home, the senior pup can now partake in all the dog-focused activities Dan and Abby provide. That includes showering their brood with plenty of presents come holiday time, as the musician explained ahead of 2020's CMA Country Christmas special.
"Christmas morning is the best," Smyers said last year. "It always has been and still is. With four dogs, it's a lot — we get the dogs lots of presents. And they're running around getting all their toys, all their treats. We usually spend it out at our farm, and it's the best time ever."
See Pictures of Country Singers and Their Dogs: