The St. Louis Senior Dog Project

Homes for some less adoptable dogs

Adalyn

  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 your new best friend  11 to 3 Saturday, October 4, in the Kirkwood Petco, or noon to 3 Sunday, October 5, in the Buchheit's store in House Springs (just south of Highway 30 off W. To see which dogs will be there plus other available dogs, go  Here.

    And don't forget Sunday (October 5th) Wine Testing from 2 to 4 at Love Unleashed, 9221 Watson Industrial Park.  This will be a casual event where for $20 you can sample wines from around the world.  We will also have raffle baskets.  You can purchase wine which will be mailed to you later. For more information, contact Pam at 314-604-0783 or [email protected]. Scross on down past the pictures to see a flyer with more information.

 

    That's Adalyn up there.  She's definitely a grey muzzle dog.  She's not young, not even particularly pretty, but Sunday someone picked her.  Adalyn is now adopted, and the first thing her new person bought her was an orthopedic bed.  She'll love that.

    We just finished one of those weeks that should make us all cry a few happy tears.  Adalyn wasn't the only older dog to find a home.  Madge the senior golden mix, Duke the senior Great Dane and Juliette the senior poodle all went to their new homes.

    Here's Madge.  Notice her grey/white muzzle.

Here's Duke.

And here's Juliette. She was a real mess when she came to us.  She needed two surgeries and extensive dental.  But she's happy now.

And here's Chico, a 7 or 8 year old dog who's been waiting awhile.  He found a home with some people who actually prefer dogs with underbites.  Beauty is in the eyes.....and so on.

And if those weren't enough to cause a few misty eyes, we also said a happy goodby to Katerina and Phoenix, a couple puppymill survivors who needed a lot of help gaining enough confidence to take a chance on humans.

And we're waiting to hear about a possible adoption of Sugar, another of our favorite seniors.  Of course, we had a few easy adoptions this past week too -- the young  yorkie Windsor, the poodle Belle, the young cattle dog Vincent. And unfortunately, we had a few "returns" too --- dogs that had been previously adopted but were back with us for a variety of reasons.

But overall, the week our week was pretty unbelievable as well as proof that people will adopt older dogs and other less adoptable ones too.

Congratulations all....and here's more information about Sunday's winetasting.  Come and enjoy.

Sounds like fun...and it'll help us help more dogs.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

[email protected]

Remember Me Thursday

Sugar

    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 your new best friend  11 to 3 Saturday, September 27, or noon to 3 Sunday, September 28, in the Kirkwood Petco. To see which dogs will be there plus other available dogs, go  Here.

    And mark your calendar for October 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. when she'll have a Wine Testing at Love Unleashed, 9221 Watson Industrial Park.  This will be a casual event where for $20 you can sample wines from around the world.  We will also have raffle baskets.  You can purchase wine which will be mailed to you later. For more information, contact Pam at 314-604-0783 or [email protected].

 

    Remember Me Thursday is a worldwide effort to increase awarness of rescue pets waiting for homes. 

    Many of those commemorading Remember Me Thursday September 25 will light candles in honor of the pets who didn't make it out of shelters alive.  They died because they were homeless.

    Those candles -- plus other efforts -- will also spotlight the orphan pets who are alive and still waiting for their forever homes.  One of them is Sugar, pictured above, a senior dog we found in Jefferson County Animal Control.   Without our help, she would probably have been put to sleep.  Now she is in a foster home, hoping someone soon will pick her.  Then we'll be able to replace her with another pet at risk.

    St. Louis Senior Dog Project will be one of the rescue organizations participating in a Remember Me Thursday event at Scottrade, where doors open at 6 before a Blues pre-season  hockey game.  Sugar will be there, and so will Addie, another dog rescued from a local animal control shelter.  Addie is what we call an "easy keeper."  She's very well behaved.  The person who adopts her, though, will need to keep her on a special prescription diet to protect her from a reoccurence of bladder stones.

    Why are we having adoptable dogs at a Hockey Game?  For that we need to thank David Backes, captain of the Blues team, and his wife, Kelly, who founded the not-for-profit group Athletes for Animal,  The group awarded us with a grant for our Indie Fund, which helps those dogs that come to us with extraordinary veterinary needs.  Other grant recipients will also be there.

    We hope all of you think of all the homeless dogs on Remember Me Thursday.  Then come out this weekend and find one to take home with you.

    An update:  Little Zoey, the 3-legged yorkie, did find a home last weekend as did several others.  Among the new dogs we took it is Vincent, so named because he looks like a Van Gogh painting.

    

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

[email protected]

Meet Brave Little Zoey

Zoey

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 your new best friend  11 to 2 Saturday, September 20, in the Kirkwood Petco. To see which dogs will be there plus other available dogs, go  Here.

Saturday, September 20 is also our annual Trivia Night at Assumption Parish of Mattese, 4709 Mattis Rd.  Doors open at 6. Trivia begins at 7.  $25 per person for up to 8 players per table.  For more information or to make reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or [email protected].   We still have room for a few more tables.  Come even if you don't have reservations. We'll find a spot for you. And thanks to the Petco Foundation for sponsoring this event.

 

    Zoey can teach us all a little about loss and courage.  Before she came to us, the person she'd lived with all 11 years of her life moved and turned her into a shelter.  That's bad enough right there -- losing your home and your person when you are no longer young.  She may have wondered if anyone would want her now.

    And there's more.  Zoey had a problem with one of her back legs.  She held it up constantly and seemed to be in pain.   We took her in and asked a veterinarian about her leg.   The vet determined that Zoey had had unsuccessful knee surgery in the past.  Instead of fixing the problem, the surgery had made things worse, leaving Zoey with a unusable and constantly painful leg.

    On advise from the vet, we decided to remove the bad leg.  Fixing the knee was no longer an option.  The best we could do was remove the pain.

    Plunky little Zoey came through her surgery fine and soon was getting around fine on three legs -- and with less pain.  But now she had to wonder who would want an 11 year old  yorkie with only three legs?

    Zoey knows she still has plenty to offer as a pet. This brave girl is hoping that the future will bring her a better life.  She's friendly, housebroken and eager to give all her love to someone who will love her back and offer her a soft lap, a comfy bed, a few toys and tasty food. 

Zoey will be at the Kirkwood Petco Saturday, September 20, from 11 to 2.  Come and meet her.  You'll fall in love.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

[email protected]

Rescues and "Real" Rescues

Chief, was Bumblebee, out on a walk.

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 your new best friend  at one of this weekends adoption events.  We'll have dogs at the Kirkwood and Petco stores 11 to 3 Saturday, September 13, and noon to 3 Sunday, September 14 at Kirkwood Petco. To see which dogs will be there plus other available dogs, go  Here.

It's not too late to sign up for our September 20 Trivia Night at Assumption Parish of Mattese, 4709 Mattis Rd.  Doors open at 6. Trivia begins at 7.  $25 per person for up to 8 players per table.  For more information or to make reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or [email protected].  And thanks to the Petco Foundation for sponsoring this event.

 

    All our dogs are rescue dogs.  We find them at shelters, as strays, or take them from situations where the owner has died or can no longer care for them.  Chief, above, is a sheltie given up by his breeder because he was running in circles.  He's walking in straight lines now as seen above as he takes off on one of his walks.  His adopters describe him as a "joy."

    And  now look at this red dog who looks a lot like an Irish Setter.  A neighbor found her hiding under the porch at someone's weekend cottage.  When no one claimed this pup, we took her.  She's a rescue alright, but as soon as we saw her, we knew she'd have  no trouble finding a home.  When I sent out a few emails this week asking for updates on recently adopted dogs, I received this picture about the red pup now known as Sansa.  Looks like she landed ok.

    Talulah and Patch both came from Jefferson County Animal.  They were at risk of euthanasia when we took them in.  Talulah's people now can't imagine life without her.  Patch's people say she is their mother's comstant companion, the most afffectionate dog they've ever met, and a lover of water -- something they discovered when she went airborne into the Koi Pond.  First here's Talalah in her new home.

    And here's Patch (now Lady), resting after the bath that followed the adventure in the Koi pond.

    All of those dogs were rescues, but they were easy rescues.  They came to us healthy and friendly; they found new homes easily.

    This week I took in one of those dogs I describe as "real" rescues.  Scarlet O'Hara was also in Jefferson County Animal Control, where she'd arrived thin, hairless in areas, and covered with multiple scratches from her constant itching. Her tail looks like something that belonged on a rat.  Her ears smelled of yeast an infection.  She is not beautiful now by any standards.  But she is friendly and so excited about now having a place to live where she can sleep on a real bed. She has a long way to go, but at least she no longer has the fleas the started the skin problems. So give us and her some time.

    Scarlet's immediate future involves baths, baths and more baths, medication for fungal and bacterial infections, and all the good food she wants.  Eventually, hair will grow, ears and scratches will heal, and she'll become the beauty she's meant to be.  Here she is on her favorite bed.

     I'll let you know when she's ready to find a home.

     Adoptions over the past weekend included Tanner, who found his home at the Speed Dating event at Open Door Animal Sanctuary.  Tanner looks good here, but when he came to us he was skin and bones.  Congratulations, Tanner, on your new life.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

[email protected]

 

Speed Dating With Dogs

 

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 your new best friend  at one of this weekends adoption events.  We'll have several dogs at the Open Door Animal Sanctuary in House Springs 10 to 3 Saturday, September 6.  We'll also have dogs  at the Kirkwood Petco 11 to 3 Saturday, September 6 and noon to 3 Sunday, September 7. To see which dogs will be there plus other available dogs, go  Here.

And dont forget to sign up for our September 20 Trivia Night at Assumption Parish of Mattese, 4709 Maattis Rd.  Doors open at 6. Trivia begins at 7.  $25 per person for up to 8 players per table.  For more information or to make reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or [email protected].  And thanks to the Petco Foundation for sponsoring this event.

 

    Some of our dogs will be looking for love Saturday when we join Open Door Animal Sanctuary 10 to 3 for a Speed Dating event.  No, you probably won't be meeting potential sweethearts for yourself (but you never know), but we're hoping you'll fall in love with a dog.

    The adoption fee for all of the dogs at this event will be only $75.  Open Door is in House Springs at 6065 Duda Rd.

    Here are a few more of our Sr Dog Project heart throbs.

      

    They all have a story to tell.   And they're all looking for love -- from you.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

[email protected]

 

Two good dog years, California beach, and my tornado

Zoey at the ocean.

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 your new best friend  at one of this weekends adoption events.  We'll have several dogs at the Open Door Animal Sanctuary in House Springs 10 to 3 Saturday, September 6.  We'll also have dogs  at the Kirkwood Petco 11 to 3 Saturday, September 6 and noon to 3 Sunday, September 7. To see which dogs will be there plus other available dogs, go  Here.

And dont forget to sign up for our September 20 Trivia Night at Assumption Parish of Mattese, 4709 Maattis Rd.  Doors open at 6. Trivia begins at 7.  $25 per person for up to 8 players per table.  For more information or to make reservations, contact Arlene at 314-623-0412 or [email protected].  And thanks to the Petco Foundation for sponsoring this event.

 

    Sometimes when I think about the week just past, I can't believe it was only a week.  So much happens every day: good, bad, sad, frustrating, wonderful.

    Take this week.  I heard from Amy that she and Zoey, the dog she adopted from us, are now living in California.  Zoey, a former stray from rural Missouri, recently visited the beach and the ocean for the first time.  Lucky girl, Zoey, and I hope for many happy years ahead.

    I also heard some sad news about dogs that had died.  Scooter the beagle and Thor the German Shepherd both came into our program as elderly dogs but lived two happy years in new homes.  When I first met Scooter, he was a stinky, nearly hairless, flea infested beagle with warts throughout his body and toe nails that curled into his pads.  He stared mournfully from the shelter pen where he'd ended after the death of his owner. He was clearly not adoptable then, but we took him and helped him grow hair, gain weight, lose the warts, and become a beautiful beagle with reason to go on living.  He was about 12 when we took him in.  He died last week from kidney failure.  I like to think they were his best years ever. He was a handsome if somewhat chubby beagle the last time I saw him.

    Thor also lived two years after coming to us.  His former owner was planning to put him down, but we decided he was worth saving.  His foster mom decided to keep him and says she will miss him very much.  She wishes she'd had more than two years with him, but they were good years for her and maybe the best two years for Thor. Here he is.

    I always hope that our senior dogs will live at least another five years, but sometimes we need to settle for two, knowing that two good years can make all the difference in a dog's life.

    I was a little surprised, though, when I learned that a senior dog we'd adopted out 10 years ago at the age of 8 years had just died after 10 happy years with his person.  His name was Monet, a maltese/poodle whose owner thought every one of those years was special.

    Last weekend, Anna, the lab mix I wrote about last time, found her new home, as did J.R. the Shih tzu, and Liesl the Cavalier Spaniel/beagle mix.  I now have two new foster dogs -- Olaf the border collie/lab and Zack the 3-legged yorkie.  They are both now ready for adoption.

    And in case you missed the news, a tornado blasted through my neighborhood, barely missing our house while breaking and tossing trees and branches on either side of us. Cellphone alarms woke me up to the tornado warnings.  The dogs all reacted differently.  Olaf slept through it.  Hawkeye became hysterical.  Others just followed along, curious as to why we were heading downstairs at this time of the night.

    All is well.  The house still stands.  Here's some of the tree damage that came closest to landing atop the house.

    Now I need to find more people who will attend our upcoming Trivia Night.

Ellen Ellick

President/Founder

St. Louis Senior Dog Project

[email protected]