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While volunteering at animal shelters, Sherri Franklin noticed that senior dogs had little to no chance of being adopted- they’re not always the prettiest of the bunch, they may have unknown health issues, and the attraction of a new puppy can sometimes be far greater. This broke Sherri’s heart and she decided to start Muttville, a shelter based in San Francisco that rescues senior dogs and adopts them out to forever homes, often times giving these grateful pups a loving final chapter to their lives.

Muttville’s Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Senior Dog

1. They make instant companions.
2. They fit like an old comfy pair of slippers.
3.  They can learn—you can teach an old dog new tricks!
4.  They teach you how to live in the moment and slow down.
5.  They already know what “no” means.
6.  They won’t chew your shoes.
7.  They show love easily and are grateful as they grow older.
8.  They can focus well because they’ve mellowed.
9.  They usually have some training and already understand some basic commands.
10.  Adopting a senior dog saves lives!

Here are some highlights from our talk:

(3:24) Why are senior dogs considered unadoptable?
(6:46) How is Muttville not a typical shelter?
(9:22) What does it mean to foster a dog?
(12:30) What’s Cuddle Club?
(14:13) Muttville has a dog hospice program.
(20:04) How Muttville has been life-changing for some.

What you can do for senior dogs:

• Adopt a senior pet from your local shelter. If none are available, here are some organizations that have plenty of senior pups to chose from:
• Muttville
• Monkey’s House
• Silver Muzzle
• Old Dog Haven
• If you’re sick or elderly, this article has links to some great resources that can help you to keep and care for your pet.
• Muttville has some great resources for getting financial help with veterinary care. Click here.
• Volunteer at your local shelter.
• Foster a senior dog.
• With all that Muttville does medically to get senior dogs ready for adoption, things can get expensive. Consider donating to Muttville to help save even more dogs.

COVID19 BONUS: Since the taping of Sherri Franklin’s episode, COVID19 has brought the world to a standstill. There are reports of shelters experiencing increased foster adoptions but also reports of increased animal drop-offs as people lose their jobs. I caught up with Sherri to see how Muttville has been faring the storm so far:

If you find yourself struggling with the costs of keeping your pet during this crisis, the Humane Society of the United States has a good list of resources to help you out, even lists by State. Click here to see it.

If you’re not located in the U.S., a search on Google for “help with pet costs in …..” may find resources for you.

Please also consider donating supplies to your local shelters or even food banks.

The statistic stated in the beginning of the episode of 8 million dogs admitted to shelters between 2015-2019 was derived from data supplied by Shelter Animals Count. Shelter Animals Count specifically disclaims all responsibility for any analysis, interpretations, conclusions and opinions contained in the information presented. (https://shelteranimalscount.org/data/Explore-the-Data/explore-the-data-summary)

Background music by Fearless Motivation Instrumentals: Meaning of Life