The St. Louis Senior Dog Project

Primrose and Taco Pete

They belong together...Taco Pete and Primrose

The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages...even puppies. Meet and adopt your new best friend 11 to 3 Saturday/Sunday, June 2 and 3 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh or 11 to 3 Saturday, June 2, in the St. Louis-Mackenzie Petco at 7279 Watson Rd.  To see which dogs will be  there  as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here. We still have some money in This Dixie Fund to cover all but $50 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older or have special needs that make them hard to place.

 They may look alike.  They may both be chihuahuas.  But their backgrounds couldn't be more different.

Taco Pete spent his first nine years in a commercial breeding facility.  He came to us from an auction.  He was cute and sweet but a little shy.

Primrose came to us as a 6 or 7 year old stray who had been someone's pet.  She'd spent a couple months in a shelter waiting for someone to adopt her.  When no one did, she was at risk for euthanasia.  We took her in and found she was housebroken, loving and full of kisses.  She knew no strangers.

To Taco Pete, everyone was a stranger. 

But then Taco Pete met Primrose, and everything changed.  They became best pals and in the process Primrose taught Taco Pete how to be a pet.  Now they are together all the time.

So we just can't see breaking them up and sending them to separate homes -- at least not without trying to find them a home together.  We'd like that so much that we're offering a special adoption fee of $100 for the pair.  They will both be at the St. Louis-Mackenzie Petco 11 to 3 Saturday, June 2, waiting for that special person or family to take them both.

Besides, they're so cute together.  This is Taco Pete telling us how much he needs his best girl. 

Both Taco Pete and Primrose are ready to go.  They've been spayed/neutered , teeth cleaned, microchipped, heartworm tested, and brought up to date with shots.

Come on people.  Two cuties are twice the fun.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St.  Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

They all have a story

Marnie is one lucky dog today.

The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages...even puppies. Meet and adopt your new best friend 11 to 3 Saturday/Sunday, June 2 and 3 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh or 11 to 3 Saturday, June 2, in the St. Louis-Mackenzie Petco at 7279 Watson Rd.  To see which dogs will be  there  as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here. We still have some money in This Dixie Fund to cover all but $50 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older or have special needs that make them hard to place.

 

Marnie, the dog pictured above, was literally in line for euthanasia when the veterinarian tasked with the job decided to find a rescue for her instead.  Marnie'd been brought into a local animal control as a stray.  When the shelter ran out of room and no one claimed her, Marnie's time was up.

But what a difference a few days can make.  The vet contacted St. Louis Senior Dog Project.  We said "yes,"  and a short time later a young couple spotted Marnie at our Kirkwood Petco adoption event and fell in love with her. Marnie found a home.

And Marnie was only one of the dogs finding a home this past week.  And they all have a story.

MayFlower was in Jefferson County Animal Control when I first saw her.  She's a beagle/spaniel mix who came in as a stray.  Saturday a little girl cheered with excitement when she learned her parents had decided the family would take MayFlower home.  Here's MayFlower.

Midnight is the senior black German Shepherd who'd lived most of his life in a sanctuary.  Handsome Midnight found a home with a older man who needed a calm walking companion.  Midnight walked slowly with the man and then refused to leave his side.  I wrote about Midnight a few blogs ago.  And here he is again.

And then there was Ellie, a somewhat opinionated Cattle Dog 6 to 8 years old.  Her former owner broke her hip and couldn't keep Ellie anymore.  We were beginning to wonder if we'd ever find her a home.  And then late last week Ellie met a couple who'd recently lost their Cattle Dog.  They understood the breed.  They liked Ellie, and when I last saw Ellie she was showing off her tricks to her new humans.  Here she is.

Both Midnight and Ellie were Red Ribbon Dogs -- dogs whose adoption fee was reduced thanks to a grant known as the Dixie Fund.  The funding reduces the fees on older dogs especially when adopted by senior citizens.  We still have other Red Ribbon dogs available.

And we also had some youthful adoptions.  One was the beautiful Australian Shepherd we called Gabrielle.  She'd been used as a breeder and had probably already had more than one litter even though she was still under two years old.  Gabrielle came to us a little run down and too skinny but oh so very friendly.  She's a lucky lady now and so are her new people. Isn't she gorgeous?

Another Sunday adoption was Murphy, a labradoodle who had been running loose in the country.  When found, he had a huge abscess above one eye and could barely walk.  He recovered and turned out to be one marvelous boy.  Here's Murphy.

And Murphy wasn't the only black dog finding a home.  Bear, who'd been waiting too long, also went to a new home.  Now all he needs is to get along with the cat and everything will be perfect.  Here's Bear, a dog originally rescued from Jefferson County Animal Control.

Not bad...and that's not even all of the week's adoptions.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

 

 

 

 

Ivy finds the good life

Ivy claims the bed -- and looks like she plans to keep it.

The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages...even puppies. Meet and adopt your new best friend 11 to 3 Saturday/Sunday, May 26/27 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh  To see which dogs will be  there  as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here. We still have some money in This Dixie Fund to cover all but $50 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older or have special needs that make them hard to place.

 We weren't too sure Ivy's adoption would stick.  Her foster mom, Millie, said Ivy was one of her most difficult foster dogs -- a puppymill survivor who was hard to housebreak, fearful, sometimes even impossible to catch.  Millie expected a call saying Ivy wasn't working out.

So imagine our surprise and delight when we heard Ivy was fitting in and doing well in her new home.

Ivy's new "mom," Connie, emailed to say, "Little Ivy is doing just great.   She has literally took control over my bed and claimed it as her own, but of course I don't mind because it makes her feel safe and secure.  She has totally stole my heart.  There is nothing I would not give to our little sweetie."

Ivy?  Really?   And there was more good news:  "She is doing awesome outside, too.  No accidents in the house.  She will go outside, but she will not come back in without being carried.  And of course I don't mind doing that.  It gives me an excuse to cuddle with her some more."

Ivy?  Really?  We still decided to wait awhile before we celebrated. 

A few days ago Connie emailed again.  "She is starting to wag her little tail when she sees me!!  She is adorable.  She's starting to run and play a little too when I take her outside.  She is a dear and I really believe this was meant to be."

Now I guess it's ok to celebrate.  Congratulations to Ivy.

We love the success stories and the cute pictures we receive. Here's one of Axel the Affenpinsher with his new family.  They love him and say Axel follows "mom" around all the time.

I also had a phone call from the people who adopted Dolly, one of our senior "Red Ribbon" dogs.  The message was that Dolly was the best dog they'd ever owned and that they hoped other people would give senior dogs a chance.

We've had some adoptions, including Hazel Stone, the yellow lab; Blossom, Tad, and Peony (all Havanese) and Maggie Mae McMuffin, a tiny yorkie retired from a breeding facility.

We've taken in some new dogs too.  I have Gabrielle, a beautiful Australian Shepherd; Sparkle, a black schnauzer lady (both from an auction), and GoodGirl, a recent rescue from the old St. Louis City shelter on Gasconade.  And quite a few others, most of which will be at one of our adoption events this weekend at the Kirkwood Petco.

GoodGirl was originally a 35 lb stray living in a burned out building.  After animal control officers captured her, they watched her blossom into a friendly dog with "goodgirl" written all over her.  Here she is.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St.  Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

 

Timothy is lucky at last

Timothy finds his home.  It looks like happy days are here.

The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages...even puppies. Meet and adopt your new best friend 11 to 3 Saturday/Sunday, May 19 and 20 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh  To see which dogs will be  there  as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here. We still have some money in This Dixie Fund to cover all but $50 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older or have special needs that make them hard to place.

 

Timothy approached me slowly in his cage at Jefferson County Animal Control.  Staff described him as "a little shy."

Well, why wouldn't he be?.  Here he was in a pen in a strange and noisy place, lost from the family that didn't come to claim him.  He was in trouble and he knew it.

But what Timothy didn't know is that his luck was about the change.  Tom had room for a foster dog and particularly liked beagles and beagle mixes. Timothy looked like a beagle mix to me--maybe part collie because of his long nose.  Staff at the shelter called him a shepherd mix, the standard fallback breed when no one really knows.

So I took Timothy home with me and he wasn't shy anymore. In fact, he was ready for fun. After hus vet visit, Timothy found a foster home with Tom, who said Timothy was "an awesome dog."

Well, I suspected that. Of course he was an awesome dog.

Within days, om had contacted his friend Mitch who was looking for a dog.  Mitch met Timothy and soon everyone was happy.  Timothy now has a family of his own.  And the picture above gives you a hint of what his life ahead will be.

So way to go, Timothy.

Other adoptions this week included Bernardo the schnauzer and Jimmy the poodle.  Also, several yorkie puppies went home.  Here's Zoey the yorkie pup with her new friends.  Talk about smiles!

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

Just a few "left behind" dogs

Lady and her new friends.

The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages...even puppies. Meet and adopt your new best friend 11 to 3 Saturday May 12 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh  To see which dogs will be  there  as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here. We still have some money in This Dixie Fund to cover all but $50 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older or have special needs that make them hard to place.

 

Lady was one of those "left behind" dogs.  Her owners moved and left her behind.  I learned about her from a rescue partner in southwest Missouri.  Could I find Lady a home? 

I've always liked any dog that looked like or was a flat-coated retriever.  Lady looked like a flat-coated retriever. So I said "yes" and ended up visiting Pat in southwest Missouri and bringing home Lady, Cooper, Kendra, Precious and two havanese ladies recently retired from the breeding business.  I named these last two Blossom and Peony.

One of the problems in dog rescue today is that dogs needing homes and the people needing dogs are in different places.  So we try to even things out a bit by moving surplus dogs from rural areas to places like St. Louis where the human population is greater. 

Even so, I didn't expect Lady to find a home as quickly as she did.  I had her less than a week before she found her home.  From what I hear, she's doing fantastic in her new home and getting plenty of exercise.  Doesn't everyone look happy in the picture above?

The next fast mover was Cooper, a young yorkshire terrier (or mix).  Someone came to Petco last weekend looking for a Mother's Day present.  I told him mom needed to come approve of the gift first.  Mom came.  Cooper and mom met.  Mom and Cooper went home together.  Happy Mother's Day.  And here's Cooper.

Pretty cute, right?  No wonder he found a home here quickly.

Kendra the senior schnauzer is still recovering from some skin problems caused by flea allergies.  But after several baths and a professional grooming, she's looking good and is now ready for adoption. She's very friendly, housebroken and another case of a dog that was "left behind" by an owner whose new plans didn't include an old dog.  Here's Kendra.

Precious is an elderly pekingese who will need a few weeks of rest and recovery before she's ready to meet new people.  The two havanese, both seven years old, are now ready to begin making friends.  Below are Blossom, followed by Peony. Their wish is to spend the second half of their lives as pets.

Last weekend also included several adoptions in addition to Lady and Cooper.  Molly the senior pointer found a home as did Chris the bi-colored pomeranian, and Tippy the beagle mix.  Others going to new homes included three bichons and a chihuahua.

So because of the good weekend I took two new dogs out of Jefferson County Animal Control.  They are May Flower the spaniel/beagle, below, followed by Timothy the beagle/collie.  Very friendly.  Very good dogs.

And that's the way it works.

I've been spending much of today trying to clear my desk of bills, correspondence , filing, messages to return , crises to resolve, questions to answer, emails to send/answer, website updates, stuff, stuff, stuff.

And wishing the best for all the "left behind" dogs.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

Another old black dog story

Midnight longs for a real home.

The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages...even puppies. Meet and adopt your new best friend 11 to 3 Saturday/Sunday , 5 and 6 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh  To see which dogs will be  there  as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here. We still have some money in This Dixie Fund to cover all but $50 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older or have special needs that make them hard to place.

 

We didn't save Midnight from death in a "high kill" shelter.  We saved him from a life sentence in a "no kill" sanctuary.

Midnight entered the sanctuary as a one-year-old.  He came to us a couple weeks ago as a nine-year-old. That's eight years imprisoned most of the time in a kennel.  Maybe it wasn't the worst place he could be.  But it wasn't a home.  He wasn't a pet. I'm guessing his original owners searched for a "no kill" shelter when they no longer wanted him.

When we heard about Midnight's plight, we decided to take him into St. Louis Senior Dog Project.

His new foster mom has only good things to say about Midnight, who we think is a Belgian Shepherd Dog.

"He is doing well.  He has a nice big soft dog bed I bought for him.  He is very easy going and gentle, totally sweet."

BUT.  And this is a big "but."  Midnight is a big black old dog. We'll have to work a bit harder to get him a home. he certainly deserves one.

Conventional wisdom says black dogs are hard to place.  Big black dogs that are also no longer young?  Those have the toughest time of all.

BUT.  And this is also a big "but."  We've placed several dogs that fit that description perfectly -- two on the same week (Riley and Evie).  We can do it.

People do love big black dogs -- even the senior ones.

And someone will love Midnight.

Soon.  We hope it will be soon.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com