With so much of our news cycle centered on stories of negativity, violence, and hatred, it’s always great to hear about positive and uplifting things going on in society. Without a doubt, Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary is an example of that. The Tennessee-based non-profit organization has taken the internet by storm, providing daily updates and pictures of the dogs who live at OFSDS. OFSDS describes itself as “a Forever Foster home based sanctuary currently housing 50 senior dogs at the sanctuary with over 150 more in forever foster homes.”
Over the past few months, OFSDS’s Facebook page has become extremely popular, with over 1.5 million likes and gets thousands of likes and comments on their dog pictures. Even beyond Facebook, users on sites such as Twitter and Tumblr have developed an adoration for the dogs of OFSDS, creating memes and other related humorous content. Unlike a fair amount of internet humor, there is nothing remotely mean or cynical in OFSDS jokes. Additionally, scrolling through the group’s Facebook page reveals almost all the comments to be friendly and encouraging, not something normally seen on Facebook. In addition, people share pictures of their own dogs, and tell inspiring rescue stories. There’s something really refreshing about dogs bringing people together to create -- as one Tumblr user puts it -- “pure 'n lovely” vibes.
Beyond just the joy that OFSDS brings people, its online popularity raises awareness about animal rights issues, especially the lack of homes for elderly dogs. When adopting dogs from shelters, people rarely choose to take home elderly dogs due to the fact that they often have more health issues, and they won’t be around as long. Places like OFSDS give these dogs a comfortable life for their remaining time, and even give some the chance to live with foster families.
Of course, OFSDS wouldn’t be as popular as it is without the fantastic dogs who live there. Fan favorites include Captain Ron, Toby, and Leo, though there are tons of pictures of all the dogs from OFSDS on their Facebook page. There are all sorts of dogs at OFSDS, and through pictures and some videos, each dog’s unique personality shines through. In addition, each week OFSDS does a “Featured Old Friend” post where they share the story of a dog in their care, so that followers can get to know more of the dogs. There’s nothing that can cheer you up quite like scrolling through the OFSDS Facebook page and looking at all the pictures, along with the heartwarming comments people leave.
OFSDS is undoubtedly a very special place, and there needs to be more locations like it. While you probably want to hop on the next flight to Tennessee and go pet all the dogs and give them lots of treats and toys, a more practical way to support OFSDS would be to donate to the organization, which is easy to do via a link on their website or Facebook page. Additionally, if you’re an Amazon user, shopping through AmazonSmile with OFSDS listed as your charity will allow Amazon to donate proceeds towards OFSDS with no extra cost on your end. While you may not know these dogs personally, they’ll definitely hold a special place in your heart.
