Welcome to Saving Senior Dogs USA
|
Dog Tales |
|
Buddy's Story - A Blind Senior Dog and His Forever Family
Although totally blind, Buddy gets along fine and has been living “the life” with Paula and Russ since he was adopted in March of 2017 from Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary.
If you haven’t considered adopting a senior, read these loving words from his mom, Paula…
“Why a senior dog? Well, with a senior you get cute, or handsome really (like Mr. Buddy), lots of snuggles and Appreciation, Adoration, Wisdom, Experience, Maturity and Calm. And let me tell you, the gratitude from those eyes is unending. No one knows how long they have left on this earth, but the deep satisfaction of knowing you’re making every single one of those days matter, makes all the difference in the world.
No, you may not get 10, or even 5 years with a senior dog. We’re living with our 4th Lily’s Legacy senior, Buddy, a blind chocolate lab. He’s somewhere around 15 or 16 and was lovingly surrendered after having had to have his eyes removed due to medical reasons. His blindness doesn’t slow him down one bit - his GPS works better than my car’s. He knows the route down the hall, into the bedroom and onto his memory foam bed (1 of 4 in the house). He has a pretty sedate life with his 2 cats, Lily and Rose, 6 1/2. His predecessors were Cali, Samantha and stubborn Clyde, all Lily’s dogs. All 4 no doubt had very interesting doggie lives before us, but we had, and have, the extreme pleasure of seeing them to the end of their days. They sure don’t require much - a warm bed, healthy food, a dignified rest-of-life, and most importantly, lots and lots of *love*. I promise you that our next dog will also be a Lily’s dog; there are plenty waiting for a forever home, and far too few forever homes waiting for a Buddy.”
If you haven’t considered adopting a senior, read these loving words from his mom, Paula…
“Why a senior dog? Well, with a senior you get cute, or handsome really (like Mr. Buddy), lots of snuggles and Appreciation, Adoration, Wisdom, Experience, Maturity and Calm. And let me tell you, the gratitude from those eyes is unending. No one knows how long they have left on this earth, but the deep satisfaction of knowing you’re making every single one of those days matter, makes all the difference in the world.
No, you may not get 10, or even 5 years with a senior dog. We’re living with our 4th Lily’s Legacy senior, Buddy, a blind chocolate lab. He’s somewhere around 15 or 16 and was lovingly surrendered after having had to have his eyes removed due to medical reasons. His blindness doesn’t slow him down one bit - his GPS works better than my car’s. He knows the route down the hall, into the bedroom and onto his memory foam bed (1 of 4 in the house). He has a pretty sedate life with his 2 cats, Lily and Rose, 6 1/2. His predecessors were Cali, Samantha and stubborn Clyde, all Lily’s dogs. All 4 no doubt had very interesting doggie lives before us, but we had, and have, the extreme pleasure of seeing them to the end of their days. They sure don’t require much - a warm bed, healthy food, a dignified rest-of-life, and most importantly, lots and lots of *love*. I promise you that our next dog will also be a Lily’s dog; there are plenty waiting for a forever home, and far too few forever homes waiting for a Buddy.”
Barkley's Story - A Transformation
Barkley was a stray from a city shelter, found on the streets in a rough neighborhood. When Barkley arrived at Lily’s Legacy from the shelter he was 15 pounds underweight, had no hair on his body and multiple skin infections.
|
|
It is amazing how things can change for a senior pup who is in desperate condition when you add excellent veterinary care, nutritious food and lots and lots of TLC. Three months later Barkley had blossomed into this handsome boy.
|
|
Barkley was adopted by a wonderful couple, Holly and Leroy, and is now living happily on a fenced acreage property with them and his cat. He loves to supervise his dad gardening and hanging out on his dog bed with his cat.
|
|
Leroy reports; "We have doggy doors on both the front and back doors so he comes and goes as he pleases. So does the cat.”
Big Dog's Story - From Streets to Sanctuary
Big Dog lived on the streets of French Lick, Indiana for at least ten years, as remembered by the people in town. They fed him and let him sleep on porches or in garages in bad weather, but he belonged to no one and would not let people get close enough to catch him. In 2020 he was attacked by another dog and taken to the Orange County Humane Society to mend. It was time for Big Dog to finally have a home! He came to Senior Paws Rescue in July 2020. At first he had to be carried inside as he was not accustomed to being inside. He hid in corners or in the closet for the first few weeks. Slowly he started coming out of his shell. These days he sits on the front porch or visits with other dogs in the common area. He gets very excited about mealtime, jumping like a young pup. Some of the residents of French Lick check in on him from time to time. He will live out his golden years at Senior Paws Rescue.
|
|
Gertie's Story - Oh, the Places You’ll Go!
It’s an age-old story. Girl meets boy. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy and girl go kayaking together …
It’s the story of a senior dog’s whole new life, a rescue, yes, but also an adventure not yet finished.
Gertie had been rescued once before she came to us. Through no fault of her own, and despite people who loved her, life threw curve balls and darts at this dog. A sensitive girl, she picked up on the stresses of the world, building up a rather large and complicated case of anxiety that dominated her days. She worried. She took that worry out on anything within chewing range. She barked and howled if left to face it all alone. Some days she needed to be aloof. Some days she needed to act like Velcro. She loves food, but some days she couldn’t eat. Other days she ate the wrong things. The anxiety showed itself clinically as IBS (a short term that lets people not think too hard about “irritable bowel syndrome”) and that made everyone miserable.
Then she met Marla. And Marla took her home to meet Ron. Oh boy, was that ever a good day.
Marla is a veterinary technician at one of the clinics trying to find solutions for Gertie. Her skill set and understanding of Gertie is the perfect match for helping Gertie heal. Marla is unphased by injections, medications, frequent vet visits (they go to work together) or the need to buy carpet shampoo by the gallon. In Gertie, she also saw the dog her husband was seeking. Someone to watch Vikings games or read with, someone to stay home when the rest of the family insisted on taking big long hikes, and as it turns out, someone willing to hop into the kayak and spend the day on the water together.
We don’t write fairytales, so not every day is perfect in Gertie’s journey to recovery. The diagnostic tests from the vets have been stubborn to improve at times, but the progress in those numbers and in Gertie’s outlook is clearly on the upswing. Best of all, Gertie is discovering a whole new world opened up for her by two people who see the small adventurer inside. So here come the photos, of Gertie at the barn hunt…Gertie kayaking…Gertie camping…and for sure, Gertie sleeping with her truest comfort in the world. All of this is new for her, made possible by love and skilled veterinary care.
It’s a rescue, yes. But even more, it’s a life that is defined by the spirit, not the past.
~ Mary Gustafson, Top Dog Foundation
It’s the story of a senior dog’s whole new life, a rescue, yes, but also an adventure not yet finished.
Gertie had been rescued once before she came to us. Through no fault of her own, and despite people who loved her, life threw curve balls and darts at this dog. A sensitive girl, she picked up on the stresses of the world, building up a rather large and complicated case of anxiety that dominated her days. She worried. She took that worry out on anything within chewing range. She barked and howled if left to face it all alone. Some days she needed to be aloof. Some days she needed to act like Velcro. She loves food, but some days she couldn’t eat. Other days she ate the wrong things. The anxiety showed itself clinically as IBS (a short term that lets people not think too hard about “irritable bowel syndrome”) and that made everyone miserable.
Then she met Marla. And Marla took her home to meet Ron. Oh boy, was that ever a good day.
Marla is a veterinary technician at one of the clinics trying to find solutions for Gertie. Her skill set and understanding of Gertie is the perfect match for helping Gertie heal. Marla is unphased by injections, medications, frequent vet visits (they go to work together) or the need to buy carpet shampoo by the gallon. In Gertie, she also saw the dog her husband was seeking. Someone to watch Vikings games or read with, someone to stay home when the rest of the family insisted on taking big long hikes, and as it turns out, someone willing to hop into the kayak and spend the day on the water together.
We don’t write fairytales, so not every day is perfect in Gertie’s journey to recovery. The diagnostic tests from the vets have been stubborn to improve at times, but the progress in those numbers and in Gertie’s outlook is clearly on the upswing. Best of all, Gertie is discovering a whole new world opened up for her by two people who see the small adventurer inside. So here come the photos, of Gertie at the barn hunt…Gertie kayaking…Gertie camping…and for sure, Gertie sleeping with her truest comfort in the world. All of this is new for her, made possible by love and skilled veterinary care.
It’s a rescue, yes. But even more, it’s a life that is defined by the spirit, not the past.
~ Mary Gustafson, Top Dog Foundation
To learn more about Saving Senior Dogs USA & Saving Senior Dogs Week,
to become a member of Saving Senior Dogs USA, or a sponsor of
Saving Senior Dogs Week, contact Alice at alice.lilyslegacysds@gmail.com
or call 707-787-7010.
to become a member of Saving Senior Dogs USA, or a sponsor of
Saving Senior Dogs Week, contact Alice at alice.lilyslegacysds@gmail.com
or call 707-787-7010.