A Washington state shelter has a new program that connects older dogs with foster homes; there, the senior dogs more comfortably wait for forever homes.
EVERETT, Wash. — The Everett Animal Shelter launched its senior dog foster program in mid-June.
“Senior dogs, who are homeless through no fault of their own,” Elizabeth Woche, with the shelter, said, "should be in quiet, calm foster homes where their health and temperament are assessed.”
A team at the Everett shelter runs the program that helps the senior dogs get the care they need during this assessment and limbo period.
“Older dogs are different from younger dogs in the sense that they don’t worry about things that aren’t important and they live in the moment,” Woche said. “They are ready to just be themselves while they enjoy this very important last, best time in their lives.”
Woche said the best foster homes for older dogs are ones where people can totally acquaint themselves with the dog in their care so changes in the dog can be noticed immediately.
The team hopes temporary foster homes will be loving bases where senior dogs are treated with patience and compassion.
Woche said there are seven to 15 older dogs at the Everett shelter on any given day, with those numbers changing daily.
Many of the older dogs come because they’re strays. Some lose their owners to illness or death.
Some come because their owners surrender them when they can’t afford the financial obligation of their older dog anymore.
Woche shared a photo of the first dog in the foster program.
"His foster mom is amazing," Woche said. "And this boy is getting everything he needs and more."
In the image from Woche, the foster mother smiles, holding the dog's face from below. Its paws rest on a blanket with red and blue hearts.
Woche shared photos of two other adoptable older dogs still at the Everett shelter: an 8-year-old Doberman and a 10-year-old Chihuahua.
Two senior dog foster-family training sessions are scheduled this summer. There is one July 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. and one Aug. 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. Find more information at this link.
“This program is important because these old souls should be in quiet, calm homes not a noisy shelter environment, while they wait for the next phase,” Roche said.
“(Foster families’) time with these dogs may be temporary but their impact will last a lifetime.”
The photos in the video below come from animal shelter officials.
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