This Incredible Sanctuary is Giving Forever Homes to Elderly Shelter Pets No One Else Wanted

It’s always easy to find a home for cute, little puppies. Finding a forever home for older dogs, on the other hand, is a whole different ball game and a much more difficult one at that. With around six to eight million dogs and cats waiting to be adopted in shelters across the U.S., a senior dog who has an existing medical condition can have an even harder time finding a forever home. People often associate these older animals with more responsibility and hassle – which is ironic considering raising a puppy is certainly not a walk in the park. Senior dogs, more often than not, have lived in homes before and end up in shelters either because their guardian has passed away or they were perhaps abandoned by caretakers who wanted a younger pet. As tragic as this is, it actually means older shelter dogs have a number of advantages – they’re often house trained and used to the hustle-and-bustle of a household. If only people knew what wonderful companions senior dogs make, maybe there would be less elderly dogs awaiting euthanasia in shelters.

Helping to Provide a Forever Home for Senior Dogs

Since 2012, Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary has been working to provide shelter, love, and care for countless senior dogs. And this is just the beginning. Right now, 70 senior dogs reside at their Forever Foster home based sanctuary and over 180 dogs live in forever foster homes. Not only is this organization providing forever homes to senior dogs, but they’re also raising awareness of the joys that come with living with an elderly dog.

Without a doubt, this organization is doing incredible work. You only have to hear some of their success stories to realize that.

Success Stories

Take a look at the OFSDS Facebook page and you will find dozens of success stories involving senior animals who, after a heartbreaking arrival at the organization, received the fairytale ending they deserved.

Take Lolly, for instance, a dog who was surrendered by her owner when she was around 10 years old.

She was living at a local animal control before OFSDS took her into their program and she didn’t look good. Underweight with bad skin problems and almost blind, nobody wanted to take Lolly home. Fortunately, OFSDS gave her a permanent home at their sanctuary. Sadly, only recently, the organization had to help her pass the rainbow bridge after her kidneys failed her. But the most important thing is that this organization took care of her until the very end and made sure her last months were full of love and happiness.

Meet Rambo.

He’s spent the last four years at the OFSDS sanctuary following a three-month stay at a foster home. Rambo was around 10 years old when OFSDS took him in from Mt. Juliet Animal Shelter, where he’d ended up after being picked up as a stray. Fully deaf with major dental problems, it was easy to see why nobody wanted to adopt him. Most people wouldn’t want the responsibility. Rambo is now one of the happiest dogs around. He gets on great with the other dogs and loves to relax. And he also really, really loves to dig.

How Can You Help?

OFSDS is all about providing senior dogs with a forever home, so they can live out the rest of their lives in comfort and as part of a family. Because let’s be honest, everybody wants to be part of a family, right? Love is what makes the world go round, after all. With your help, they can help even more senior dogs.

If you would like to help, here are some things you can do:

1. Donate. The organization is funded by donations, which is why they are crucial in order for them to continue with their mission. Donate now to Support their work.
2. Volunteer. There are lots of exciting voluntary opportunities at OFSDS. Check them out here.
3. Foster a senior dog. Several dogs are waiting for a foster home. If you would like to take care of a senior dog, take a look at the requirements and see if you are ready to foster a senior dog.

Note: this story is from 2017

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All Image Source: OFSDS Facebook