Senior dogs find themselves homeless for numerous reasons \u2014 most of which have nothing to do with their capacity for loving. Chicagoland-based Young at Heart Senior Pet Adoptions<\/a> is a 501(c)(3) organization making sure these loyal companions enjoy golden years filled with TLC.<\/p>\n Photo: Young at Heart<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Related: <\/strong>Activities for Senior Dogs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Young at Heart currently works with shelters across multiple states to help rescue homeless older canines. Founder and Executive Director Dawn Kemper says her team is focused on highlighting \u201chow special each senior pet is \u2014 helping people get to know them and see beyond their age.\u201d<\/p>\n The organization spearheads nurturing programs like Furever Loved, which gives aging pups a safe haven if their owners become seriously ill or pass away. It also performs various health-related exams to provide more comprehensive adoption snapshots.<\/p>\n Dawn created Young at Heart in 2005. At that time, she recalls, \u201cthere were zero options\u201d for homeless senior dogs in her immediate region. She recruited local animal lovers, got licensed and started spreading the word. These efforts eventually culminated in the Young at Heart sanctuary and adoption center, which opened in 2019.<\/p>\n Young at Heart works with shelters to help rescue homeless, older dogs and find them loving homes. Photo: Young at Heart<\/p>\n<\/div>\n According to Dawn, this unique refuge reflects years of research into senior pet needs. The cage-free environment gleams with natural light. Mature pooches enjoy comfy couches, play areas and a cozy fireplace. At the holidays, canine residents unwrap their own gifts during a special pet-themed party.<\/p>\n Dawn\u2019s team is intentional about providing home-like comforts. \u201cBut our ultimate goal,\u201d she explains, \u201cis to place every senior pet that walks through our door with a loving family.\u201d That\u2019s why most dogs are available for adoption. To avoid creating undue canine stress, Dawn says that all meet-and-greets \u201care done by appointment\u201d once an application is approved. Young at Heart even helps match prospective pet parents with a pooch well-suited to their lifestyle.<\/p>\n Dawn estimates that she and her dedicated volunteers care for \u201capproximately 24 senior dogs at any given time,\u201d plus several elderly cats. Even more hounds reside with hand-selected foster families. The organization relies exclusively on donations, grants and fundraisers in lieu of government assistance. Event-based initiatives have rapidly adapted to COVID-19, becoming virtual where necessary.<\/p>\n Dawn predicts that the pandemic will cause even more senior canines to wind up at shelters, when guardians \u201ccan no longer afford care due to loss of income or housing.\u201d That\u2019s why she reveres her organization\u2019s animal-loving supporters. \u201cRescue work,\u201d she emphasizes, \u201cdoesn\u2019t stop.\u201d<\/p>\n For more info, visit: adoptaseniorpet.com<\/em><\/p>\n Featured photo: Young at Heart<\/em><\/p>\n Read Next: <\/strong>6 Things to Love About Senior Dogs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The post This Organization is Making Sure Senior Dogs Enjoy Golden Years Filled with TLC<\/a> by Marybeth Bittel<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post This Organization is Making Sure Senior Dogs Enjoy Golden Years Filled with TLC<\/a> by Marybeth Bittel<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n Senior dogs find themselves homeless for numerous reasons \u2014 most of which have nothing to do with their capacity for loving. Chicagoland-based Young at Heart Senior Pet Adoptions<\/a> is a 501(c)(3) organization making sure these loyal companions enjoy golden years filled with TLC.<\/p>\n Photo: Young at Heart<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Related: <\/strong>Activities for Senior Dogs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Young at Heart currently works with shelters across multiple states to help rescue homeless older canines. Founder and Executive Director Dawn Kemper says her team is focused on highlighting \u201chow special each senior pet is \u2014 helping people get to know them and see beyond their age.\u201d<\/p>\n The organization spearheads nurturing programs like Furever Loved, which gives aging pups a safe haven if their owners become seriously ill or pass away. It also performs various health-related exams to provide more comprehensive adoption snapshots.<\/p>\n Dawn created Young at Heart in 2005. At that time, she recalls, \u201cthere were zero options\u201d for homeless senior dogs in her immediate region. She recruited local animal lovers, got licensed and started spreading the word. These efforts eventually culminated in the Young at Heart sanctuary and adoption center, which opened in 2019.<\/p>\n Young at Heart works with shelters to help rescue homeless, older dogs and find them loving homes. Photo: Young at Heart<\/p>\n<\/div>\n According to Dawn, this unique refuge reflects years of research into senior pet needs. The cage-free environment gleams with natural light. Mature pooches enjoy comfy couches, play areas and a cozy fireplace. At the holidays, canine residents unwrap their own gifts during a special pet-themed party.<\/p>\n Dawn\u2019s team is intentional about providing home-like comforts. \u201cBut our ultimate goal,\u201d she explains, \u201cis to place every senior pet that walks through our door with a loving family.\u201d That\u2019s why most dogs are available for adoption. To avoid creating undue canine stress, Dawn says that all meet-and-greets \u201care done by appointment\u201d once an application is approved. Young at Heart even helps match prospective pet parents with a pooch well-suited to their lifestyle.<\/p>\n Dawn estimates that she and her dedicated volunteers care for \u201capproximately 24 senior dogs at any given time,\u201d plus several elderly cats. Even more hounds reside with hand-selected foster families. The organization relies exclusively on donations, grants and fundraisers in lieu of government assistance. Event-based initiatives have rapidly adapted to COVID-19, becoming virtual where necessary.<\/p>\n Dawn predicts that the pandemic will cause even more senior canines to wind up at shelters, when guardians \u201ccan no longer afford care due to loss of income or housing.\u201d That\u2019s why she reveres her organization\u2019s animal-loving supporters. \u201cRescue work,\u201d she emphasizes, \u201cdoesn\u2019t stop.\u201d<\/p>\n For more info, visit: adoptaseniorpet.com<\/em><\/p>\n Featured photo: Young at Heart<\/em><\/p>\n Read Next: <\/strong>6 Things to Love About Senior Dogs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n The post This Organization is Making Sure Senior Dogs Enjoy Golden Years Filled with TLC<\/a> by Marybeth Bittel<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Adopt](\"http:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2012_Wags_7387-3.png\")
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