Where Do Old Dogs Go?
I want to thank Dogster member Rhon for sending me a diary entry from Daisy Mae’s page. And of course Daisy Mae for posting it.
This is a heartbreaking and eye-opening look at what happens to senior dogs when their owners decide they can no longer care for them, or choose not to.
Flo is a doe-eyed 10 year-old Basset hound mix that was sent to the animal shelter when her owner couldn’t return home after being hospitalized. The little dog, who is almost deaf, was terrified to be in a cage at a shelter with so many other animals and all of the commotion.
Josie is a serious looking senior Wheaton terrier mix whose owners tied a pretty bow around her neck and dropped her off at a shelter in Northern California.
And when a tiny silver-haired Shih Tzu named Jennifer got too old, her family brought her to the shelter to be euthanized.
This is how life turns out for thousands of loyal older dogs. The main reason senior dogs are relinquished to shelters seems to be illness. Either the owner becomes too sick or passes away or the dogs develop an illness and owners can’t afford to pay for the medical care or choose not to get help.
Prospects are pretty grim if you’re an unwanted senior canine. Shelter workers see the tragedy every day as older dogs with wonderful dispositions are tossed aside. And once they get to an overcrowded public shelter with limited resources they are “practically written off” as un-adoptable.
In addition to being hard to re-home, senior dogs have special health risks when they’re exposed to a shelter environment. They’re more susceptible to kennel cough, their arthritic bones get worse as they sit on concrete floors and the overall stress of living in a shelter can worsen any pre-existing illness. For most old dogs the shelter is where they spend their last days before being euthanized.
However, in the last couple of years some animal advocates who are touched by these sad circumstances are coming to the aid of senior canines.
Sherri Franklin is one of these advocates. With a distinguished career in animal rescue she began a non-profit organization in 2007 for older dogs, called Muttville. The group is located in San Francisco. Their website says this about their goals:
“Muttville’s mission is to change the way the world thinks about and treats older dogs and to create better lives for them through rescue, foster and hospice. We reach out to senior and special needs rescue dogs; find suitable homes for those dogs that are adoptable; and offer end of life care for those that are not.”
The organization is successfully making the last few years of unwanted senior dogs peaceful and happy.
In other parts of the country, The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs and Old Dog Haven are also saving the lives of seniors that have been cast aside. Both organizations have become experts in getting older dogs ready for new homes. They provide an extensive medical workup for each animal so they are in the tip top condition and they use the internet for finding new homes.
Because most of their budgets are used for medical care another organization called Grey Muzzle was started to help. They give grant money to rescue groups that specialize in working with senior dogs.
And some animal shelters like Sacramento SPCA have started programs to meet the special needs of old dogs. They provide cots to get the dogs off the floor and they do a dental and blood work-up so they can determine any medical problems. The group also waves the adoption fee so senior dogs have a better chance of getting a new home.
There are many specific reasons why people avoid adopting an older pet, but the basic theme is, ¯There‘re so many dogs available, why choose one with something that looks like a big problem, or looks ugly, or takes a lot of effort?
The Senior Dogs Project also finds homes for older dogs. They list these 10 reasons why people should consider adopting a senior canine:
1. Most are house trained.
2. They are past chewing inappropriate items.
3. They are focused so they quick learners.
4. Old dog know the meaning of “No.”
5. Settle in with a pack easier.
6. Give lots of love.
7. WYSIWYG – What you see is what you get in personality and behavior.
8. Instant companionship.
9. Owners get more time for themselves because seniors are less demanding.
10. A good night’s sleep – old dogs need their rest.It’s a sad commentary when people place less value on anything or anyone that is old. Sure, brand new puppies are wildly adorable, but it is a heartwarming experience when an older dog looks you in the eye and crawls into your lap and falls asleep.
I cannot imagine giving up my senior dog who has been with me, and there for me, throughout the years. Thank goodness for the wonderful organizations mentioned above who are stepping in and helping senior dogs. The Senior Dog Project really nailed it with their 10 reasons to adopt an older dog, everything listed is so true.
We got Logan when he was five and have never looked back. Logan is a Bernese Mountain dog from a puppy mill who was rescued by the Bernese Auction Rescue Coalition. When we were originally looking we did want a younger dog, especially because Berners generally have a lifespan of 7 years, but then one of the rescue workers told us about Logan. When we saw his picture it was love at first site.
We just celebrated our one year anniversary on Saturday and are so happy we adopted him, he is a joy. We don’t know how long we’ll have him, but we cherish every minute we do. Let’s face it, there are no guarantees in life for anything, sometimes you just need to take a chance.
*ADOPTABLE: Buddy is a handsome senior boy looking for a forever home, check out his page.
I have a 14 year old Chow that i would never give up. He is blind and has bad arthritis but, the arthritis is bettersince starting on meds. It is so sad what happens to the poor older animals.
I just can’t imagine anyone giving up a dog because it becomes a senior citizen! To me that’s just like telling my parents that because they are senior citizens, I won’t have anything to do with them anymore! It’s awful!
I’ve had rescue dogs, pure breed dogs, puppies and senior dogs all my life and I would never give one up just because it got sick or old. All my dogs have lived with me until they passed away or had to be put down only when there was no other hope.
My dogs are my heart and my heart breaks everytime I hear or read about a dog, or any animal, that has been mistreated, abused or just “thrown away!” I just don’t understand the human race!
That was a very good article!
I love my senior dogs and it’s very sad to read about how some people get rid of them in the elder years when they need their humans the most.
Great article! As always Horst, thanks fur sharing. I’ve always had older dogs. In fact when planning our canine family, I like to stagger the ages of the animals. The older ones are great for helping train the younger ones and the younger ones keep the older ones active. =D
Kenyon was a ripe old 17 years old when she passed to the Bridge. She is the second oldest dog I ever had. Another from my childhood lived til 19 before laying his head down in the cow pasture for his final rest.
Old dogs are awesome!
reason #11.
If you are a senior too, you will probably NOT leave a dog behind that will need many years of care. Old dogs and old folks are a better match than old folks and pups.
It’s a terrible thing that some people don’t understand you get a dog for life! How could you just give them up because they get old or sick? It’s like having a baby…You don’t get ride of them when they are teenagers! (Although I know it does cross many parents minds!) Don’t people understand or care that a dog is a living, feeling thing?
Our home is graced with 2 older dogs. A 12 year old lab mix we adopted at age 4 from a rescue group, and a senior rat terrier, age unknown, whose person has brain cancer. Both add much to our day, every day.
My husband and I lost our first Vizsla at 10 years to cancer. Much too soon for us. Now with our oldest of our present three turning ten and still full of energy this year we hope and pray for the opportunity to have her be with us as long as possible into her elder years. There is no way we would desert her. Senior dogs always steal my heart. My friend has a 14 yr old shorthair that I just love, Sure she’s had an “oops poop” on my floor and a puddle on the rug…but that can all be cleaned up. She’s just so sweet and such a character as a senior lady.
I can’t imagine giving a pet up for any reason, but some people feel differently; or, I guess circumstances can arise that we are not aware of. Thank heavens for rescues for older pets. Bless those who do the work of keeping these pets safe until their lives end.
My Ellie Mae came to me as a senior from the local shelter. She is a big, hairy, old sheppard mix; kind of a hard sell in the land of designer breeds. When we drove over the bridge to the beach where I live, I promised her we would walk on the beach as much as we could for as long as she could (thiking about a year.) On June 16 we celebrate 5 years together (she is 13) and what joy she has brought to my life!!! Now she has trained a small, terrier shelter mut for me and is a great companion to a 90 year old dad that adores her!!! NO COMPLAINTS HERE! Seniors rule!
I agree with the senior dog – senior owner. Its a win-win for both. My almost 80 year old in laws got a Chihuahua puppy. Guess who she lives with now? A senior dog would have been a perfect match. Of course any one would be blessed with senior dog, but senior to senior just seems like such a good fit.
I don’t know about all the dogs but there are some Bangkok street dogs who gaze wistfully at food opportunities on the other side of a metal fence, and others, like my buddy Harry, who actually do something about it. Harry, a two year old brown mutt of mixed Greyhound, Alsatian, and Bull Mastiff ancestry, is pictured here contemplating how to scale a fence outside a seafood restaurant in the city’s Asoke district. This muscular hound has the ability to leap even higher than my friend Stretch, which means he can get over many of the barriers humans put up to keep us street dogs out of places where food is stored and tasty garbage is collected.
My sister was at the park with my little brother one day and found what had looked like a stray wandering the grass field. When she approached she realized the dog was both blind and deaf, she of course approached cautiously because she doesn’t know if the dog is friendly or not. Turns out the dog was friendly so she put a lead on the dog and took him home, we checked over the dog and found ticks, mites, fleas, and open wounds on the dog.
The dogs nails were extremely long, the thing is, we live in a very good neighborhood where something like this just doesn’t happen. This dog was defintely once a family pet. We took the dog to the vet and found out the dog had more then enough health issues. He had a high spirit though, and we wanted to give him a chance. Apparently the owners didn’t want to deal with the dogs issues and just tossed the dog out. HORRIBLE!
The dog was a sweetheart, though he was blind and deaf he made efforts to sniff his way to you. We managed to find him a foster home through the help of rescue groups. It’s sad to see how people could just give up on their companion of years just like that.
the dog -like a child, yes if U cant deal with it anymore- it can be a reason