The St. Louis Senior Dog Project

Stinky, naked beagle for adoption

Scooter...not quite ready for adoption

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 , April 7 at either the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh or the St. Louis/Mackenzie Petco on Watson Rd.  To see which dogs will be where 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.

Note:  The Speed Scrabble fundraiser scheduled for April 7 has been cancelled.

It all started when Terri offered to foster a senior boxer at Jefferson County Animal Control.  I called out there to say I'd pick up the grey-muzzled girl we later named Saphron.  While on the phone I heard someone talking in the background saying, "Tell her about the old beagle.  He's right up her alley."

So they told me about the old beagle whose owner had died.  This dog needed  a little  help, they told me.  So instead of coming home with one old dog, I came home with two.  Here's the boxer, who was abandoned when her former owner moved. She's a happy wiggly girl who acts younger than her grey muzzle would suggest.  We're guessing her at 8 years old, and she is now ready for adoption.

And then there's Scooter, the beagle in need of "a little help."  When I checked him out at the shelter, I  first noticed the smell, then the long toe nails, and finally the fact that the dog had lost much of the hair that should have been covering its body. Add to that an estimated age of 12 years. No one would want this dog.   (See picture at top). 

So home I went with a stinky, naked beagle.  The vet diagnosed a flea allergy and started him on antibiotics and medicated baths.  After two baths, Scooter is still not a dog you want anywhere near your nose.  His skin, though, is a little less red, and I think I can feel some hair beginning to grow. 

So now we wait and hope the next bath will be the one that makes him smell  pretty.  In two weeks he goes back to the vet for a progress visit.  Here's another picture of Scooter today. I hope the next one will show a lot more hair.

And yes, we've had some adoptions. Tip and Top the Aussie puppies have found homes.  So has Bam Bam the senior Italian Greyhound, Bushka the 5 year old havanese and Alex the beagle.  We've also taken in some non-senior dogs, including Tippy a beagle mix and Pip, a 5-year-old small dog who might be a pomeranian/sheltie mix.  Here she is...and after a trip to the groomers, she's smells heavenly.

I've had a lot of inquiries about some of our adoptable dogs this week, so I'm predicting a good adoption weekend.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

 

Wearable dogs and hanging-out tongues

Say hi to Carly, one of our newest rescues

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 and Sunday, March 31 and April 1 at the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh.  To see which dogs will be where 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.

Scrabble anyone? Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 7, for Speed Scrabble. Gather 3 of your friends and a Scrabble board if you have one (others will be provided). Cost is $15 per person and proceeds go to the animal organization of your choice (we hope it's St. Louis Senior Dog Project). Doors open at 6 and the fun begins at 7 p.m. Cash bar available. Cash prizes for top 3 teams. Location is the American Legion Post 162 at 9305 S. Broadway in Lemay, MO. For more information or to make a reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or kulade5@yahoo.com

I have a lot in common with Carly (above) today.  My tongue is hanging out, too. I've been working outside while she's been playing outside.  We've both very tired.

Carly is one of our newest rescue. I found her in the Jefferson County Animal Control shelter. Thanks to a good adoption weekend, I was able to pull her to safety along with three senior dogs -- a shih tzu and two pomeranians in the old St. Louis City shelter on Gasconade.

Over the weekend we adopted out a few puppies and young dogs -- Tigger, Puppy the Shih Tzu, Aphtrodite the chocolate lab, and Freese the shepherd/lab mix.  We also placed another Red Ribbon Dog -- Lucy the poodle.  Other mature or senior dogs finding homes were the three malteses (Snow White, White Lightnin, and Pretty Boy), and Nathan the schnauzer mix.

Over the weekend I discovered that we have some wearable dogs.  Below is Bam Bam the 11 year-old Italian Greyhound pretending to be a light-weight shoulder wrap.  Wearing him is his foster mom, Jeannette, who is not available for adoption.

Some of you may define "wearable dogs" as those that attach to your lap, such as the three pomeranians below: Malib Barbie, Sunny, and Ivy.  Remarkably, all three are still available for adoption.

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We still do have some Red Ribbon Dogs, but we've used up the Purina Pets for Seniors grant that helped us pay the adoption fee for senior citizens adopting senior dogs.  Now we're using funds in the Dixie Fund to lower the fee to $50 on other senior and special needs dogs.  We raised the fee for adopters from $25 to $50 to stretch out the funds a little longer.  Bam Bam, above, is a Red Ribbon Dog, by the way.  So is Taco Pete, a 9-year-old chihuahua now looking for a home after spending most of his life at a commercial dog breeding facility.  Here's Taco Pete.

Riley the senior black lab is at the vet's office for heartworm treatment.  Much to my surprise, I've already heard from two people interested in adopting her. Riley's the lab whose owner lost his home.  Riley has limited vision and a damaged jaw that leaves her tongue hanging out most of the time.

Makes her look like she's been working (or playing) hard too.

I have my eye on several other dogs I'd like to rescue from local shelters.  And two of my foster parents have taken in new dogs -- a shepherd mix from St. Charles City Animal Control, and another mixed breed that came to us as an skeletal stray. Pictures on these later.

Ryder the Aussie pup has been hospitalized with an unknown intestinal disorder.  He's coming home today.  We have two dogs being treated for urinary tract infections, another with a bad cough, and still another with infected eyes and bad teeth.

We're hoping more people will sign up for the Speed Scrabble fundraising (see above).

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

"Friendly and will make a good pet"

Jodi...no more puppies for her

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 and Sunday, March 24 and 25 at the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh.  To see which dogs will be where 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.

Scrabble anyone? Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 7, for Speed Scrabble. Gather 3 of your friends and a Scrabble board if you have one (others will be provided). Cost is $15 per person and proceeds go to the animal organization of your choice (we hope it's St. Louis Senior Dog Project. Doors open at 6 and the fun begins at 7 p.m. Cash bar available. Cash prizes for top 3 teams. Location is the American Legion Post 162 at 9305 S. Broadway in Lemay, MO. For more information or to make a reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or kulade5@yahoo.com

 

Jodi, the Bichon Frise pictured above, has spent most of her eight years having puppies.  Now she's ready to be somebody's baby instead.

I bought Jodie and several others at a recent dog auction where breeders sold their unneeded dogs to other breeders, to individuals and to rescue groups.  The dogs at these auctions don't know their fate.  Will it be a worse life?  Will it just be more years of having puppies?  Or will they now move onto something different -- life as a pet.

One of the things that attracted me to Jodie (in addition to  her senior age of 8 years) was what her breeder wrote about her --"Very friendly and will make a good pet."  Evidentally, this breeder hoped Jodie would retire from the breeding life and find a forever home.

Jodie wasn't the only one with a wishful note like that.  Buchshot, a 7-year-old chihuahua, was  described as "a real sweetheart that will make a great pet,"  Pretty Boy the 8-year-old maltese "very friendly and will make a good pet also," and White Lightning, another 8 year old maltese  "more than deserves a good forever home."  Below is Pretty Boy.

Jodi, Buckshot, Pretty Boy and White Lightning are four of the dogs that came home from the auction with me. I also brought home some Australian Shepherd puppies, a shih tzu puppy, and a couple 5-year-old havanese ladies. 

We see good times ahead for all of them.  Here's one of the Aussie puppies.

And congratulations are in order for Haley, a senior Lab adopted last weekend.  She'd lost her former owner to a nursing home.  No one in the family was able to take her -- a story I hear too often. Here's Haley.

Also adopted were the two bassett hound puppies, now recovered from demodectic mange. 

Of course, it's never a perfect week.  We've had three returns and an endless number of begging phone calls and emails from people wanting me to take their dogs.  Those are the things that drag me down.

I'm sure glad every day has stories that lift me back up.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

 

 

 

 

 

Malcolm wins! Is Riley next?

Malcolm finds the good life

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 and Sunday, March 17 and 18 at the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh or 11 to 3 Saturday, March 17, at the Bridgeton Petsmart.  To see which dogs will be where as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here.  We still have some money in  This Dixie Fund to cover all but $25 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older.

Scrabble anyone? Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 7, for Speed Scrabble. Gather 3 of your friends and a Scrabble board if you have one (others will be provided). Cost is $15 per person and proceeds go to the animal organization of your choice (we hope it's St. Louis Senior Dog Project. Doors open at 6 and the fun begins at 7 p.m. Cash bar available. Cash prizes for top 3 teams. Location is the American Legion Post 162 at 9305 S. Broadway in Lemay, MO. For more information or to make a reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or kulade5@yahoo.com

 

Malcolm is one of those dogs who should have found his new home fast, but instead it took him awhile.  We scratched our heads and couldn't figure it out.  He was a good dog, not too old, not too young, housebroken, loved children and adults.  I took him out of Jefferson County Animal Control because he seemed like the best dog there when I stopped by.  Cute. Friendly. A mainly white, beagle-sized boy.

But he didn't always "show well" at adoption events.  He barked at other dogs and acted not at all like the angel he was at home most of the time.  He was finally adopted briefly by an older couple.  They brought him back after a day because he barked at the dogs on the other side of the fence and wouldn't come when called.

But shortly thereafter Malcom became a hot item. All of a sudden, several families wanted him.  The one he went home with reports back with the good news that they love him and think he's a wonderful dog.  And he has a new name, Bizcuit.  The picture above shows Bizcuit relaxing of an evening.

I'm hoping someday someone will send us back a good report about Riley, an 8 year old black lab I accepted this week from an owner who could no longer keep her.  The owner has rescued Riley from an abusive situation some years back and tried to give her good care, but after two years of unemployment, the owner was losing his home and couldn't find a way to keep Riley with him. Here she is:

Riley's had some problems in her life.  At one point her tail was broken.  And more seriously, she suffered a head injury.  Because of that she has limited peripheral vision and her tongue hangs out because of a fractured jaw.  And it doesn't end there.  After I took her into our organization, I found out she was overweight, arthritic and heartworm positive. She acted older than her eight years.

In many ways, Riley is lucky.  We can treat the heartworms and help her lose weight.  Weight loss will help her arthritis.  But even after we fix her up, with some financial help from the Grey Muzzle Organization, she'll still be an older black dog -- not that adoptable.

Once she's ready for adoption, we'll call her a Red Ribbon Dog and her adoption fee will be only $50. She might be perfect for a senior citizen or even one not-so-senior.

Riley does have some fine qualities.  She's housebroken and she's lived with children of all ages.  Her poor old broken tail wags when you call her name, and her lolling tongue just adds to her charm. 

And still I wonder if I took a mistake taking her in.  Will I ever find her a home?  The former owner was turned down by several shelters and told he should have her euthanized.  Heartbroken, he and his sister continued to look for a rescue that would take Riley in. I fell for the sad story and said "yes."

So here's another picture of Riley (with lolling longue), with all my best wishes. Let's all wish she someday soon wins the dog lottery and finds a good home.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

 

Look at us now!

Jake, once neglected, finds the good life.

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 and Sunday, March 17 and 18 at the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh or 11 to 3 Saturday, March 17, at the Bridgeton Petsmart.  To see which dogs will be where as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here.  We still have some money in  This Dixie Fund to cover all but $25 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older.

Scrabble anyone? Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 7, for Speed Scrabble. Gather 3 of your friends and a Scrabble board if you have one (others will be provided). Cost is $15 per person and proceeds go to the animal organization of your choice (we hope it's St. Louis Senior Dog Project. Doors open at 6 and the fun begins at 7 p.m. Cash bar available. Cash prizes for top 3 teams. Location is the American Legion Post 162 at 9305 S. Broadway in Lemay, MO. For more information or to make a reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or kulade5@yahoo.com

 

One thing I've learned from rescue work is that a life can change at any given moment.  I see it all the time with dogs that emerge from horrible neglected lives to become the love of some human's life. 

Jake, above, was living at the end of a chain not too many months ago.  Neighbors saw the sad, starving dog and called authorities.  But before officials could step in, fate intervened.  A fire broke out and quickly consumed the house where Jake's owner lived.  Jake's neighbors climbed a fence and pulled him to safety. Then they began caring for him while the owner moved away and never again asked about the dog that had been left behind.  Jake turned out to be a joy, a delightful dog.  And last weekend someone decided to adopt him and give him the life he deserves. 

A couple blogs ago I wrote about Truffles, a dog at the old Gasconade pound.  He'd been there four months and was only minutes away from likely euthanasia when we took him in.  Now he's found a new home too with people who've adopted from us before.  Their dog Sweets had died and they were now ready for a new dog.  Truffles, they decided, was perfect. Here he is again.

Two others who found homes last weekend were Axel and B.B., a pair of black Affenpinshers who once lived in a pig pen.  A reputable breeder rescued them from the pig pen life and turned them over to a rescue lady, who turned them over to us.  Axel and B.B. were so popular Saturday I was worried about fist fights breaking out (well, no really, but it's a nice image. They should have good people fighting over them.) Here are Axel and B.B. again.

I recemtly received the next picture of Candice a black lab with her favorite kids.  Candice was just another stray with the disadvantage of being black.  Conventional knowledge has it that no one wants a black dog.  Well someone wanted her.  She now brings excitement and fun to her new family and particularly loves all the walks in the park and the woods.

Savannah was another pathetic soul --a senior chihuahua who was nearly hairless when she ended up in a St. Charles shelter.  Her condition was the result of fleas.  She now has a beautiful coat, frequent baths, protection against fleas, and humans who call her "the joy of our lives."

Yes, lives can change in any give moment --dogs' lives and ours.  The thought should guide us through the rough patches and remind us to hold tight to the good ones.

Ellen Ellick

Presidet/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

 

 

Some Red Ribbon Joy

Latifah finds a 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 , March 10 and 11 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh, and noon to 3 Saturday, March 10, in the Manor Grove Nursing Home in Kirkwood.

Scrabble anyone? Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 7, for Speed Scrabble. Gather 3 of your friends and a Scrabble board if you have one (others will be provided). Cost is $15 per person and proceeds go to the animal organization of your choice (we hope it's St. Louis Senior Dog Project. Doors open at 6 and the fun begins at 7 p.m. Cash bar available. Cash prizes for top 3 teams. Location is the American Legion Post 162 at 9305 S. Broadway in Lemay, MO. For more information or to make a reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or kulade5@yahoo.com

Some of our Red Ribbon dogs celebrated their Red Ribbon Day this past weekend, among them Latifah the black lab shown above with her new humans. As an older dog, Latifah became part of our Red Ribbon program, meaning a couple small grants paid part of her adoption fee.

We've had more success with this program than we could have anticipated. At least 15 senior or special needs dogs have found home with red ribbons trailing from their collars. A grant from the Purina Pets for Seniors program covered the fees for senior citizens. The Dixie Fund covered all but $25 for younger persons adopting senior dogs. We still have money in the Dixie Fund and will continue to use it for other Red Ribbon dogs.

Latifah came to us with a pretty sad history. She'd spent most of her life in a research facility testing flavors for dog food. Ironically, she wasn't really suited for the job since she liked all food and wouldn't chose one flavor over the other. After coming to us, Latfiah needed a little reschooling with the housebreaking, plus surgery on one knee. She's now just about perfect and Michael and Barbara love her very much.

Mona Lisa with the slight grey muzzle and soulful eyes also found her family. You saw Mona's glamor shot in my last blog. Here she is with her new family. Word is she's fitting in quite well. When she came to us, Mona Lisa had just been abandoned by her former family and was in a shelter where she had little chance of being adopted. She's a lucky lady now with a new chance at the good life.

And then there's Dash, a lab/pointer mix, who finally got lucky this past weekend. He'd ended up in a shelter when his former owners divorced. Guess you could say Dash was the one who really got the shaft. He came to us almost 30 pounds overweight. Only after some serious dieting and exercise did he begin to perk up and rediscover the pup within. He is now best buddies with the grandson of his new "mom." Here's Dash and Ryan.

And they weren't the only ones. Milo the black poodle found his home. He's eight years old and recently became homeless after the death of his former owner. Here's Milo.

And Hazel, a senior miniature pinsher rescued from a local shelter,also found a home. Here she is.

Good days for senior dogs. A good time for Red Ribbons.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

Aren't we gorgeous?

Ellie's glamour shot

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 , March 3 and 4 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh, and 11 to 3 Saturday, March 3, in the St. Louis/McKenzie Petco at 7279 Watson Rd.  It's not too late to find a Red Ribbon Dog, usually a senior or special needs dogs. Our Purina Pets for Seniors grant has room for one more senior adoptions.  We also have money left in the Dixie Fund, which will cover all by $25 of the adoption fee for persons of any age adopting Red Ribbon dogs.

Scrabble anyone?  Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 7, for Speed Scrabble. Gather 3 of your friends and a Scrabble board if you have one (others will be provided).  Cost is $15 per person and proceeds go to the animal organization of your choice (we hope it's St. Louis Senior Dog Project.  Doors open at 6 and the fun begins at 7 p.m.  Cash bar available.  Cash prizes for top 3 teams.  Location is the American Legion Post 162 at 9305 S. Broadway in Lemay, MO. For more information or to make a reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or kulade5@yahoo.com

Last weekend a local photographer, Allison Duffy, taught us just how glamorous dogs can be when she volunteered some of her time to help our dogs find new homes.

I call them glamour shots.  That's Ellie up there.  She's a 6-year-old Australian Cattle Dog looking her very prettiest.

And here's Mona Lisa, a slightly senior Hound dog.  Good pose, Mona.

Next is Roman, who is unique.  We're not quite sure what breeds are in him, but he is handsome and oh so photogenic. This youngster (about a year old) isn't much more than 35 lbs and has tight, wavy hair that doesn't seem to shed much.

Freese, below, is just as handsome as he is smart.  He'll excel in obedience classes because he so wants to please.

Tigger, below, is one of the pups rescued last week from the old Gasconade facility.  He loves to play and is only 5 to 6 months old.

Pierre, below, is just plain cute and fluffy.  Who could resist his glamorous little self?

Then there's this gorgeous lab mix, Hazel Stone.

And finally, my personal favorite.  I'm not sure it's a glamour shot, but our monkey-faced Affenpinsher lady BeeBee shows personality and humor in this pic.

And her buddy Axel takes a great picture too.

All these beautiful dogs are available for adoption.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog PRoject

ElenE9466@aol.com

 

Why is Truffles so Happy?

Truffles has reason to smile

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 , March 3 and 4 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh, and 11 to 3 Saturday, March 3, in the St. Louis/McKenzie Petco at 7279 Watson Rd.  It's not too late to find a Red Ribbon Dog, usually a senior or special needs dogs. Our Purina Pets for Seniors grant has room for one more senior adoptions.  We also have money left in the Dixie Fund, which will cover all by $25 of the adoption fee for persons of any age adopting Red Ribbon dogs.

Scrabble anyone?  Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 7, for Speed Scrabble. Gather 3 of your friends and a Scrabble board if you have one (others will be provided).  Cost is $15 per person and proceeds go to the animal organization of your choice (we hope it's St. Louis Senior Dog Project.  Doors open at 6 and the fun begins at 7 p.m.  Cash bar available.  Cash prizes for top 3 teams.  Location is the American Legion Post 162 at 9305 S. Broadway in Lemay, MO. For more information or to make a reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or kulade5@yahoo.com

Truffles was about 30 minues away from, shall we say, an unfortunate outcome when I stood in front of his pen at the old St. Louis City shelter at Gasconade. We'd received a call the day before that the Missouri Agriculture Department had told the shelter that it didn't meet current standards and would need to reduce its dog inventory before a reinspection in two days.

City officials called us and other groups begging for help.  "We have a lot of adoptable dogs and we don't want to put them down" was the message we received. Shelter officials made special arrangements to meet rescue groups there.

First Chris swung by on his way home from work and picked up a  yellow labrador retirever mix.  Terry, Amanda, and Jeanette all selected a dog each -- a couple more labs and one mixed breed youngster.  Meanwhile the Humane Society of Missouri and some other groups selected a few more dogs.  I was there on the last day only 30 minutes before a vet was scheduled to arrive for euthanasias.  By then, the facility was almost empty of adoptable dogs...except for Tuffles, who was still waiting as he had been since October.  They were calling him a Chow mix.  He looks like a brown bear (or a big teddy bear).  He was a favorite there for his friendly nature and goofy smile.  So I took him home with me.

I love Tuffles.  He's an outstanding dog -- probably an Aussie mix.  I don't think he's even part Chow, but I'm not sure what the mix is.  He's fitting in fine here and will make his first public appearance Saturday at our adoption event 11 to 3 in the Kirkwood Petco.

One of the Gasconade dogs is already adopted.  The others will probably go fast. They definitely are adoptable dogs.

In other news, we adopted out more Red Ribbon dogs last weekend, and some young ones too (including Pamela Pointer).  We have a couple former adoptions coming back -- including a schnauzer, papillon and chihuhua.  Two are returning because of health of the owner.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. L ouis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com

Yes, we had some adoptions!

Sizzle and her new "mom"

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 a REd Ribbon dog 11 to 3 Saturday and Sunday, February 25 and 26 at the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh.  Red Ribbon dogs will be adopted at no fee for senior citizens and only $25 to all others thanks to two grand programs.  This is the last weekend for this program.  In addition, we will have younger dogs at the St. Louis/Affton Petco from 11 to 3 Saturday. To see which dogs will be where as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here. The Red Ribbon dogs will be placed at no fee to senior citizens (60 plus) thanks to a grant from the Purina Pets for Seniors program.  This Dixie Fund will cover all but $25 of the fee for adults of any age.

Yes, we had some adoptions this weekend, and several were thanks to our two programs helping us place dogs -- especially seniors -- in good homes.  That's Sizzle up there.  She's been waiting for the right home since the sizzling summer day that I took her out of Jefferson County Animal Control.  Now it looks like she's found it.

Others finding homes through either the Purina Pets for Seniors program or our own Dixie Fund were Dolly the lab mix and Chessie the poodle mix.

Then we had several regular fee adopts, including Annette the beagle mix, pictured  below with her new best pal.

Others finding homes were Royal the retriever mix, Barret the yorkshire terrier, and Molly the yorkshire terrier.  And we may soon be able to announce a couple more adoptions.

Meanwile, we are gearing up for next weekend -- our Red Ribbon Weekend at the Kirkwood Petco.  Every dog there will be eligible for either the Purina Pets for Seniors Program (which means Purina will pay the adoption fee for senior citizens adopting one of the dogs) or the Dixie Fund (which means the adoption fee will be only $25 for people of any age adopting a senior dog or one that has been hard to place.

Spread the word.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com 

News: Sad and Glad

RIP Sweets

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 and Sunday, February 18 and 19 at the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh, or 11 to 3 Saturday, February 18 at the Bridgeton Petsmart. To see which dogs will be where as well as other adoptable dogs (and to check out our Red Ribbon dogs (no fee to senior citizens and only $25 to all others), go Here. The Red Ribbon dogs will be placed at no fee to senior citizens thanks to a grant from the Purina Pets for Seniors program.  This Dixie Fund will cover most of the fee for younger adults.

My emails bring me news both sad and glad.  Today I learned about the death of a dog we knew as Sweets.  I took him home from Jefferson County Animal Control on a winter dog so cold I originally named him Brrrdog.  My sister changed his name to Sweets after the psychiatrist in the television program Bones.  He was indeed a sweet dog in need of a happy retirement home, and he found one.

Helen wrote, "He was happy with us.  He got a lot of attention.  He was walked every day except the icy or heavy rain days.....We enjoyed every minute with him.  I wish we had had more."

In happier news, I heard from the couple who adopted Donner, a beagle we'd rescued from a shelter and treated for heartworms.  We took him in just before Christmas so named him after one of Santa's reindeer -- Donner.  Donner has gone from being homeless and sick to being a welcome and healthy pet.  Ericka reports, " We just adore him and are so thankful that he's part of our family!  He's a bright, shiny light in my day!  He gets along great with his older brother (our Rhodesian ridgeback) and loves, loves, loves to be outside. "  Ericka forwarded their Chistmas card.  "He's always so serious in pictures.  It cracks me up."

And speaking of "happy at my new home" pictures, here's a dog we knew as Slylock.  His new name is Baxter.  Lisa tells us that Baxter loves to play outside in the yard, especially if someone is throwing his ball for him.  "However, he is also self entertaining and will throw his own toys and chase them.  This is very entertaining to watch. He has bonded well with all of the members of the family, even my husband. (Note: We were afraid he had "issues" with men, but evidentally not this one.) Anyway, know that he is well, loved, and happy."

And finally, here's little Bitsee, happy in her new home.  Bitsee came to us after someone saw this little poodle thrown from a car.  Lea wrote, " We brought 9-year-old Bitsee home about three weeks ago after meeting her at your event at Petco and immediately fell in love.  We were worried she might be a bit frightened in a new place with new people, but she seemed to feel right at home!  The second she curled up into our arms she won our hearts.  She's such a sweet girl, and we're so blessed to have her.  She has really taken to our other dog, Mollie, a 9-year-old Whippet, and trots along beside her wherever she goes."

 

 Life has certainly changed for Bitsee.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

EllenE9466@aol.com