Forever Fosters: Sponsor a Senior Dog

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Forever Fosters: Sponsor a Senior Dog

Can't adopt or foster a senior dog? You can still help. All of the dogs featured below are Forever Fosters at The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs. They are not currently available for adoption for a variety of reasons; some have constant medical needs; some are in the final stages of illness; some have special emotional needs; J.J. serves the Sanctuary as therapy dogs and official spokesdogs.

You can sponsor one of our Forever Fosters (or an adoptable dog waiting for a forever home) through our Forever Fosters:Sponsor a Sanctuary Senior program. Your contribution provides food and ongoing medical care for our Sanctuary Seniors. Without sponsors like you, the Sanctuary could not continue its mission of protecting and caring for old dogs that cannot be adopted. In return for your support, you will receive a photo of the dog you have chosen to sponsor. You will also receive periodic updates from your dog sometimes signed with an authentic paw print. If possible, we will arrange for a visit with the dog you sponsor if you are local to Cleveland. Please be sure to tell us which dog you would like to sponsor. In 2012, we launched an e-newsletter just for sponsors of our forever fosters. Be sure to look for it about twice a year.

You may send a check and indicate which dog you would like to sponsor, or you may contact the Sanctuary for a sponsorship form; you can also set up your sponsorship through the links to PayPal at the bottom or the left side of this page. The dog you sponsor will be grateful for your help.

SANCTUARY FOREVER FOSTERS

Koda, a 7- to 8 -year-old Rat Terrier, is a friendly little dog just waiting for his very own home. His easy-going ways will win your heart in record time. Shown above patiently submitting to paw painting, Koda love attention and enjoys the company of friendly dogs and cats. He is energetic and loves to play and go for walks.

Koda has become part of our Forever Foster program because he has a persistent limp and skin infection that does not respond to treatment. He will stay in his foster home for life to be sure he gets the best care for his chronic illness.

Nolan, a happy-go-lucky fellow with a distinguished gray muzzle, Nolan, at 10 years old, has a smile for everyone he meets. He would love nothing better than to spend his time with you, going for leisurely walks and cuddling on your couch. He loves car rides, running through the snow, and lots if attention, too. His wonderful personality and crooked smile will keep you amused and laughing. Nolan is recovering from the serious neck injury he suffered in June, but he is expected to make a full recovery.

Update: Because of Nolan's even temperament and his past training, he is being evaluated as a Sanctuary therapy dog. He began his formal training in November. Look for news on his progress.

JJ, a 9-year-old Yellow Lab mix, is a sweetheart of a dog. Found wandering by a good Samaritan, JJ was taken to an area shelter where staff quickly discovered that she is entirely blind. But she does not let that stop her. She is learning to respond to voice commands and seems to be a quick study. She enjoys a good belly rub and sprawls on her back to make sure you can hit all the right spots. Friendly with other dogs, JJ is easy going and loves to play.

Update: JJ has passed her therapy dog test and is now our therapy dog working with a children's reading program. Congratulations, JJ and Jolene. And thank you to Gold Star Dog Training in Medina, Ohio, specializing in handicapped pets, who worked closely with JJ. Thanks also to Linda Farace of Crazy Dog Studio for the excellent shots of JJ and Jolene. She will remain with the Sanctuary and share her irrepressible joy with others. Your support helps with the cost of JJ's veterinary care.

Gili, an 8- to 9-year-old mixed breed, was found by animal control sleeping in an alley in Ohio City, a Cleveland neighborhood near downtown. Matted, filthy, and bone thin, Gili is slowly remembering how to be a dog as she relaxes in her foster home. She is being evaluated for a possible kidney issue and will be available for adoption when her health can be determined with a little more certainty. She is friendly with everyone she meets and seems to enjoy the company of other dogs as well. For more information on Gili, please contact the Sanctuary.

Update: Gili was diagnosed with pneumonia shortly after she came to us; she has recovered from that completely, but she has recently been diagnosed with a small mass in her chest that is not operable. She is being made comfortable through medication, and she will remain in her foster home for the rest of her life. She is surrounded by love, gets very short daily walks, and has her own special place on the couch . . . and the chair . . . and all the fluffy dog beds!

Bram, an 8-year-old Poodle/Lhasa mix, arrived at animal control absolutely covered in fleas, thin, and completely miserable. He received a clean bill of health from our veterinarian and was successfully neutered and had a much-needed dental. But shortly thereafter, he was diagnosed with Immune-Mediated Hemolytic Anemia. He will receive lifelong treatment and care in his permanent foster home. The picture on the left was taken while he was still at animal control. The picture on the right on his first night in his new Forever Foster home.

Nessie, a 10 year-old small Shepherd mix, weighs a mere 30 pounds but could stand to gain a few. She came to us from a rural Ohio pound with a nasty case of kennel cough/pneumonia. She has recovered and is in a Sanctuary foster home where she is friendly and relaxed. A victim of obvious neglect, Nessie has low vision and may suffer from past head trauma. She would love to have a home of her own where she will get the unconditional love that she deserves. She has gained weight, health, and confidence. She recently attended a local animal fair and was a real crowd pleaser. The picture on the left was taken in the shelter; the one on the right recently at an adoption event. Nessie has come a long way in a short time.

Update: Nessie has been diagnosed with kidney disease, and, since she takes some time to adjust to new surroundings, she will stay in her foster home where she is loved for life. She is shown at far left in the pound and at far right getting some attention from her foster brother Harry.

Evie, an 11-year-old Longhaired Chihuahua mix, came to the Sanctuary after she was abandoned in an area shelter. Evie was bone-thin, very ill, and frightened. She is beginning to respond to lots of love; good food; and regular veterinary care. Evie has a ways to go before she is healthy enough to be spayed and begin looking for her forever home, but she is enjoying all the comforts of a Sanctuary-approved foster home for as long as it takes for her to regain her health and her strength.

Update: Evie has moved to her new foster home where she will remain for life since our vet has decided that she is too fragile to be safely spayed. She has taken her place in a family of one loving woman and two cats. Evie interacts with the cats in her new home, letting them know who is boss even though they are easily twice her size. Her new care giver reports that Evie has made remarkable progress in every way; she is healthier than she has ever been, and she is mentally alert and interested in her surroundings. She is a devoted lap dog who has found the perfect home.

Neeko, 15-year-old Border Collie/Cattle Dog mix, is a real sweetheart of a dog who was surrendered to an area shelter because of his owner's failing health. He has mild liver disease, which is asymptomatic and being treated with milk thistle; he also has a touch of arthritis, but that does not keep him from playing with his pack mate in his foster home. Neeko has lots of energy and bonds quickly with people and other dogs. Your support helps with the cost of Neeko's medicine, supplements, and veterinary care.

Update: Neeko has just moved to a new Forever Foster home when his original foster moved out of state and could not take Neeko with her. He adjusted in record time and was last seen with Loki the cat who was busily licking Neeko's ear. He is enjoying several walks a day and all the love he could ever want. Because of Neeko's age and his elevated liver enzymes, he will stay with the Sanctuary for life.

Rolo, an 11 y/o Miniature Pinscher, is a happy fellow now that he has found safety in a Sanctuary foster home. Found as a stray by animal control,. Rolo was frightened and alone. He is loving and well-adjusted. He has developed a heart murmur, and he occasionally experiences some back problems that respond to medication. Rolo's heart disease has progressed, so he will remain in his Sanctuary foster home for life. Your support helps us with his ongoing medication and veterinary care. To sponsor Rolo, please contact the Sanctuary, or click on the PayPal links on this page.

Update: Rolo has moved to a new Forever Foster home, sharing his life happily with several ferrets! He has advanced heart disease but still enjoys his life, surrounded by love and excellent care.

Jewel, an 13-year-old long-haired Chihuahua, came to the Sanctuary when she was unclaimed in animal control, apparently frightened by July 4th neighborhood fireworks. She is a timid dog and shows evidence of fear, but she does warm up to people if she is approached gently and with love. Jewel would clearly prefer to be the only dog, and she will repay your love and care tenfold. Because she has been through so much and because she is still very afraid of new people and new situations, Jewel will remain in her foster home for life.

Hazel is a very special girl who came to us with a sad story. She and 85 other dogs were removed from the home of a hoarder in Mansfield, Ohio, in June. The conditions were deplorable, and, sadly, only 22 of the dogs survived. Hazel, whom the shelter estimated at 14 years old, was pregnant and gave birth to four puppies at the shelter. Very shy and poorly socialized, Hazel was not likely to be adopted out, so she came to the Sanctuary where she has been slowly learning to trust people and to interact with them. Our vet Dr. Bob at Gateway Animal Clinic believes that Hazel's age was closer to 8 than the 14 suggested by the shelter. That is good news for Hazel. We hope she has a long time left to enjoy life as a loved family member rather than just a number. Because adjusting to new experiences is difficult for Hazel, she will remain in her foster home where she enjoys patrolling the yard with the other dogs and sharing love and treats with her foster caregiver.

Update: Hazel has been with the Sanctuary for over four years now. She is 11 or 12 years old and happy as long as she has her very own chair. She shares a foster home with Nolan and FayFay, both of whom are her very best friends. She still loves chasing squirrels and stray cats out of her yard; she sings and dances for her dinner and generally enjoys her life. Your support helps meet Hazel's medical needs, which include supplementation and medication for spinal arthritis and daily medication for her allergies and thyroid condition.

Clyde, a 13-year-old Lab mix, was found wandering the streets of Cleveland several years ago. Even though Clyde was pitifully thin and completely blind, he was confident, loving, and full of good humor from the first day we met him. Letting his nose be his guide, he is always ready to snatch an unattended piece of cheese or bread from a table or counter, and he is always ready for a walk or an adventure. He is friendly with most people, but he can be frightened and a bit defensive if people do not make their presence known to him before trying to interact with him. He bonds quickly and permanently, having made many new friends in his time with the Sanctuary. Because he reacted poorly in two adoptive homes, Clyde returned to his foster home where he feels secure and where he will stay, enjoying the company of his foster family and their dogs for life. Clyde has recently developed dementia which is being treated with medication. Your support helps to provide ongoing medical care for Clyde.

Your monthly sponsorship helps us care for those senior dogs who cannot be adopted because of medical or emotional conditions. We provide foster homes, medical care, food, and lots of love with the help of sponsors like you. Thank you for considering a senior dog. Our permanent Sanctuary dogs send out a four-paw thank you as well.

$5 a month provides heartworm protection for your dog

$10 a month contributes to feeding your dog

$15 a month contributes to the medical care for your dog

$20 a month contributes to the total care of your dog

$25 a month contributes to the total care of your dog.

$50 a month contributes to the total care of your dog.

If you are interested in other sponsorship amounts, please contact the Sanctuary.

Sanctuary dogs past and present enjoy the good life in their foster homes

thanks to our sponsors and supporters!

Left: Gucci with his friends Riley and Arwin (adopted from the Sanctuary) and Bocci.

Right: Meghan, Georgia, and Henry take time out for a nap.

Left: Angel, Guido, Meghan, and Rose line up for scratches and kisses.

Right: Brady plays couch potato under the watchful eye of young Toby Reis, Poodle/Terrier mix, one of Missy's puppies (Missy the Poodle came to the Sanctuary in 2003 from West Virginia as an 11 y/o Poodle in need, but she was, we discovered after she arrived, a mere 4 years old and VERY pregnant).

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