For dog lovers, there’s nothing more wonderful than taking home a new puppy. When dogs are young, they’re energetic, soft and very cute. Getting to see your dogs grow up is one of the most amazing experiences a dog owner can have. When you adopt a puppy from a shelter, you are essentially guaranteeing that puppy a safe and happy life for all of the years it will live.
But what about senior dogs?
Yes, senior dogs. Dogs that no longer are soft, dogs who have long since gone blind, who bark loudly at things that aren’t there. Dogs who stand around and forget what they’re doing. What about those dogs? These dogs are long past their 'prime'...are they still treated with the love and respect a puppy gets?
Hardly. There are many instances of older dogs being left at shelters or simply abandoned because they’re ‘too old’ or that their owners cannot take care of them anymore. It seems like for these people, dogs are only acceptable when they’re young, and when they get old they simply dump them because they become too much of a hassle.
This is a huge problem. Not only do senior dogs experience many more health issues that aren’t addressed in shelters, but they’re less likely to be adopted. So, these senior dogs are stuck in shelters that don't care for their needs and most likely will see the end of their days without ever finding another home.
So who is out there helping these older dogs in need of care?
Introducing Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary.
OFSDS is one of many senior dog rescues in the United States (if you’re interested in finding an organization near you, check out their website). The sanctuary is a non-profit rescue organization that resides in Mount Juliet, Tennessee and really is a haven for the dogs in every sense of the word. OFSDS’s overall mission is to: “provide a loving home, good food, high quality vet care, compassion and comfort to senior dogs for the remainder of their lives...build a Forever Foster Home network to enable us to place more senior dogs in loving, home settings for the duration of their lives...provide education on the joys and challenges of caring for aging dogs...work with other dog rescue groups to promote the adoption of senior dogs” (OFSDS).
Some heartwarming comments on a photo of Lolly.
From their mission statement, it’s clear that they’re addressing many of the problems listed above- but what makes this particular group stand out from the rest? Many would answer that it is their wonderfully run Facebook page and community.
Ranger looking handsome.
The OFSDS Facebook page has over 1,000,000 likes, and for good reason. It is honestly one of the most wholesome and kind Facebook pages on the internet. You can tell by reading the posts that these volunteers really care about their dogs, and the countless people who like the page are just as enthusiastic about the wellbeing of these animals as well.
Leo, an 8 year old dog at OFSDS (and the author's favorite!)
The Facebook page is updated several times a day with updates about the many dogs living in the Sanctuary. (According to their page, they are currently housing 45 dogs and have 90 in Forever Foster Homes.) Through these photos and updates, the community learns about the dogs' daily lives and even grows to feel affection for them!
Mildred's campaign poster
A recent movement within OFSDS is the campaign of Mildred, the pug, who is running for president. Described as a “woman who will fight tooth and nail for the middle class,” Mildred, the Geezer Party Candidate, is pushing to “Put a Pug in the White House.” Seems like an appealing campaign promise! To support Mildred, you can find some of her merchandise in the OFSDS store.
If you’re a dog lover, I highly suggest liking this page and/or donating to their cause. Many old dogs are in need of help, and OFSDS is one of many organizations that is designed to help them. In the future, if you’re considering adopting a dog, perhaps think about sharing your home with a senior dog. They’re already trained and more experienced than a puppy, and all of them deserve a happy home for the rest of their lives.
