by Abby Ouimet & Denise Fleck
Second Chances for Older Best Friends… is there to help.
medical and dental care, adoption promotions, hospice care and other services that support The Grey Muzzle’s vision of “a world where no old dog dies alone and afraid.” Hospice care for dogs is here to stay. Veterinarians who specialize in hospice care are making house calls to help beloved pets spend their final days comfortably at home. Some rescue groups and shelters also provide homeless pets with “hospice care”—hospice care in foster homes. Dogs are treated like family. Dogs participate in weddings, attend birthday parties in their honor, and enjoy lounging on the couch or sleeping in the bed with their humans. Some folks give up travel rather than leave their pups behind, while others vacation and dine at hotels, resorts and restaurant patios that welcome people and dogs. Seniors for Seniors programs are booming. Animal shelters often make special efforts to match senior dogs with senior people by offering discounted or waived adoption fees. Many shelters also offer reduced adoption fees to encourage people of all ages to give a senior dog a good home, especially during Adopt a Senior Pet month in November. Increased awareness of the health benefits of dogs. Widely-reported studies prove the significant health and social benefits of sharing your life with a canine companion. Many senior housing facilities acknowledge these benefits by welcoming resident or visiting canines—often senior dogs. More senior dogs are being adopted. As Grey Muzzle’s 2017 survey reported, more people—young and
old—are choosing to adopt senior dogs. Altruism was cited as the top reason, but the fact that older dogs are usually house-trained and mellower than younger pups also make them the best match for many families. If your heart has been touched by a senior dog, please take a few minutes to visit www.GreyMuzzle.org to learn more about the GRReat work they do. While you’re there, make a gift in the name of a grey muzzled best friend you have or once shared your life with. It will help provide that second chance to an at-risk older fella or lady, and…should you be ready to adopt a new family member, there are many wonderful senior dogs who are waiting to meet you at shelters and rescue groups.
Ten-year-old Miss Chaco was left at a Colorado shelter by an elderly owner who could no longer care for her. Safe Harbor Lab Rescue gave her a second chance, with the help of a Grey Muzzle grant that pays for senior intake lab work to assist vets in providing the best possible care for old dogs, adding to their comfort and longevity.
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