Our elders, both human and canine, are often overlooked. Once revered, now forgotten, older people and dogs are often considered a burden and are left behind. Our rescue has seen a greater number of senior dogs being turned in because owners have died, or because owners can no longer afford care or are moving into a nursing home or a senior living facility.
These dogs come to us with their aches and pains, as well as sadness at being left by their people. We bring them in, have them medically evaluated and treated, and place them in one of our foster homes where they are loved and cared for until they are adopted into a family of their own.
We have designed a program that allows an adoption of a second senior dog to the same family at a reduced adoption donation. We believe the joy of loving a senior dog will attract adopters to bring another senior into their home.
 To date, we have provided four of our seniors, Autumn, Grant, Hope, and Maverick with permanent foster care. We believe that the difficulties that these dogs endured in their lives made it unwise to place them into an adoptive home. By providing certain dogs with lifetime care, they will received the understanding and consistency that they needed to happily live out their days. All of these special seniors have now crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Our longer range vision is to have a Sanctuary that will provide a permanent home to senior dogs that aren't adopted. This home will have full time caregivers and will provide senior humans the opportunity to spend time with our dogs.
Why adopt a senior?
One by One, they pass by my cage,
Too old, too worn, too broken, no way.
Way past his time, he can't run and play.
Then they shake their heads slowly and go on their way.
A little old man, arthritic and sore,
It seems I am not wanted anymore.
I once had a home, I once had a bed,
A place that was warm, and where I was fed.
Now my muzzle is grey, and my eyes slowly fail.
Who wants a dog so old and so frail?
My family decided I didn't belong,
I got in their way, my attitude was wrong.
Whatever excuse they made in their head,
Can't justify how they left me for dead.
Now I sit in this cage, where day after day,
The younger dogs get adopted away.
When I had almost come to the end of my rope,
You saw my face, and I finally had hope.
You saw through the grey, and the legs bent with age,
And felt I still had life beyond this cage.
You took me home, gave me food and a bed,
And shared your own pillow with my poor tired head.
We snuggle and play, and you talk to me low,
You love me so dearly, you want me to know.
I may have lived most of my life with another,
But you outshine them with a love so much stronger.
And I promise to return all the love I can give,
To you, my dear person, as long as I live.
I may be with you for a week, or for years,
We will share many smiles, you will no doubt shed tears.
And when the time comes that God deems I must leave,
I know you will cry and your heart, it will grieve.
And when I arrive at the Bridge, all brand new,
My thoughts and my heart will still be with you.
And I will brag to all who will hear,
Of the person who made my last days so dear.
© Leslie Whalen |
"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich." |
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