Today we have our second guest blog post from Olive, all about a wonderful charity called the Oldies Club - you can view their website here
In 2008 I discovered a fantastic website, Oldies Club – a national dog charity whose purpose is to foster/re-home dogs over 7yrs. At the time I discovered it they needed a regional co-ordinator in the north east and I was lucky enough to be selected. The charity is run completely by volunteers and I started off by organising fund raising events, trying to recruit volunteers and fosterers, and also to raise awareness of the charity.
Volunteers are always needed for Oldies Club, because fosterers are always needed as are funds. Oldies Club pays for all of the vet bills for dogs in their foster care and also for their Sponsor dogs – these are dogs who sadly will never be adopted but will stay in a loving foster home for the rest of their days (it is usually due to illness) and for those dogs the vet bills can be very expensive. No dog is ever put down whilst in Oldies care, unless it is in the dogs best interest. There are many ways you can help Oldies, even displaying posters is a great help, so have a look on the website - and see if there’s anything you could help with
In 2009 I became a fosterer for Oldies Club, following the loss of my beautiful Tess. A month after I lost her I decided I couldn’t be without a dog any longer and so decided to foster. I was asked to foster practically straight away, and I took on a lovely 8yr staffy, Ginny. Ginny was a poundie and if it wasn’t for Oldies she would have been put to sleep. She was a joy to foster and after a few months being fostered went off to live with a lovely couple who travelled all the way from London to Newcastle to adopt her. I still get regular updates about her and it’s clear they love her to bits.
Whilst fostering Ginny, I fostered another dog Lassie. Her beloved owner had to go into care and had to give her up. She was very lucky and after only one month she was adopted.
I decided early in 2010 that I was ready to adopt my own dog, so while I was fostering Ginny I started looking for my forever dog. I wanted another older collie and was lucky enough to find a lovely 8yrs old ex-breeding bitch who was looking for a retirement home, so in June, on the day Ginny was adopted, I picked up my new oldie. She is a “younger” oldie, still has plenty of energy, loves her walks and playing, but is a much calmer dog than a young collie would be, and that just suits me perfectly!
What do you need to think of if you want to adopt an older dog?
Do your research, make sure you know that an older dog has different needs to a younger one, be prepared to be more patient because they are slower and may not see as well, and even may have the odd accident but the love they give you in return is immense, it’s almost as if they know you have saved them and are grateful for the chance you have given them. Don’t overlook an Oldie, there are plenty of people who will give a home to a younger dog, but the older ones need special people to love them, people who see what is beyond the grey hairs, the not-so-bright eyes and the plodding along – Oldies are just puppies in disguise!!
I am proud to be the owner of an oldie, proud of myself that I have given an older dog a happy loving forever home. I will never be without a dog again, I will never be without an Oldie in my home – they are the best!
I know it is heart-breaking to lose a dog, and sad that you may not have as much time with an older dog as you would with a younger one, but they are so worth the tears and heart-ache. They have so much love still to give, so much fun still in them, so they have to be given the chance to have a new life – for however long/short that may be. Don’t look at them in the kennel and dismiss them. Don’t tell yourself you couldn’t give them a good home – what is best; a life in cold, noisy, draughty kennels, always waiting for someone who will love them; or a life in a warm, comfy, safe home, full of care and love. I know what I would choose!
As I type this there are 3 oldies watching me. They are semi-snoozing, just waiting for the moment I move so they can get up and follow me; no doubt hoping I am going to the treat-tin. Silk will sit and watch me adoringly, Starry will stare at me waiting for a tasty morsel to come her way and when it does she will take it ever so gently, and Pixie will sit, tail wagging and lift her paw until the treat comes her way. Then she will lift her paw for another treat, staring with her big eyes in her pixie-face. They are completely different dogs; different breeds; different shapes; different personalities. But, they are all older dogs and they are all full of life, full of fun and full of love and gratitude – who can resist them, not me!
If this blog has inspired you to think about adopting your own oldie, go to the Oldies Club website, and see how many lovely dogs are just waiting for someone like you. You won’t regret it.
Tomorrow we have Pixies' story, Pixie was an oldies club dog who now has a permanent loving home with Olive.
No comments:
Post a Comment