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Bringing senior dogs and people together.
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Our Board:
Diane and David Pierce
David and I have grown up loving man's best friend. As our daughters grew up, we always had a dog (or two) in the house to make the family complete. As our daughters left home, we started rescuing dogs and found it to be very gratifying. The dogs that we rescued were wonderful dogs who just needed a chance at a better life.
The past several years we have been very involved in working for rescues and have fostered over sixty dogs. It became clear to us that it is very important that the dogs be fostered in a home environment where you can witness the dog's behavior and see if they have any issues before they go to their new homes. We have witnessed the fact that it is very difficult to find adopting homes for senior dogs. It is understandable that the family doesn't want to fall in love with the dog and then lose them and be heartbroken.
We have found that these senior dogs are the best behaved dogs - as they are potty trained and not demanding for exercise. All they want is someone to love them and to be with them.
We also have therapy dogs that we take to hospitals and nursing homes. We are continually amazed at the positive reaction these dogs have on the patients. Their faces light up when a dog walks into their room. We know the positive force that these dogs have in our lives and put the two things together to come up with the idea of Senior Dogs 4 Seniors. It came to us that it would be a WIN WIN situation if we could place these older dogs in the homes of older folks who still live in their houses.
It seemed clear that we should start a new tax exempt rescue for these senior dogs and place them in the homes of seniors. Then we thought about the fact it may be difficult for some older folks to take care of the veterinary care, grooming needs and even getting the dog food and heartworm preventative. Therefore, we developed our new charity with three different programs to accommodate the different needs out there.
In December, 2007, we received our approval from the IRS for a 501(c)(3) as a tax exempt non-profit. We plan to promote our rescue at senior centers around the St Louis area. We hope to finance our rescue with grants and gifts and the help of volunteers in the area. Please considering helping us on this journey!
Tracy Lynch
Animals have been a part of my life every since I can remember. In fact I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have some type of animal in my life! From bunnies, ducks, birds, iguana, snake, cats, dogs, etc… Although, I do have to say I am most partial to dogs! Growing up we had a wonderful German Sheppard named “Bronco”, I can still remember how he protected and looked after me! We also raised beagles and basset hounds. I remember one time when our beagle and basset both had puppies at the same time (22 puppies). I just loved coming home, opening the dog pen door and letting them run and play and climb all over me! Nothing better than 22 puppies licking your face!! And, feeding time was hilarious! We could tell when they were full because their little tails went from being down to being straight up!
I do love them all, but over the years the Shih Tzu has become my ultimate doggy favorite! I’ve owned either one or two and well, now three (I adopted one of my fosters). Shih Tzu’s have been part of my life for over twenty years. I’ve raised many litters throughout this time span and find them to be such loving little babies. This love is what helped me realize that I wanted to play a bigger part, not just by owning a dog, but also by helping those dogs that aren’t so fortunate. So, I began taking part in charitable events, fund raisers, and fostering which is what lead me to SD4S. I actually learned about SD4S when I adopted a Shih Tzu for my mom. It was during the adoption process that I realized the people who foster for SD4S all have great big hearts and they are really passionate about the dogs. They also do something special; they require a home visit for each new adoption. Why? It’s because they really want the family to be right for the dog as well as the dog to be right for the family!
Probably one of the biggest questions I’m asked is, “How do I keep from getting attached?” The truth is I do, a little piece of my heart goes with each one that gets adopted. But, there is a reward, and that is knowing that I’m part of a much bigger picture. I’ve played a part in helping one more, lonely, neglected, abused, lost, or homeless dog get a loving forever family.
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About us