DD’s Senior Sanctuary
By John M. Hayden
Dogs come into our lives tails wagging, tongues slobbering, eyes excited. I say dogs, not puppies. Because even as dogs move from the prime of life into their senior years, they still bring their best, even when their human doesn’t give them the best in return. Luckily for the dogs, and us, DD’s Senior Sanctuary is in South Florida to help.
It’s mission is to make sure dogs and cats are able to spend their last days and months surrounded by the love they deserve, even if their longtime humans decide they aren’t going to be there for them. Sometimes people move and don’t want to bring them to a new location. Maybe they decide an aging animal is too much time and work, so they decide to move on without them. People give a lot of excuses. But DDs is there to pick up the pieces.
Robert Miller works with the rescue and shared with OutClique his story of how he came to find his companion, Desi. It was a rough life for the boy, but his last few months would be like none other. “He was broken beyond any creature I had ever met,” Robert told us. “His body had been through hell. He had open wounds and huge calluses all over from the rough life he had lived. We thought him to be about 12-13 years old.”
A trip to the vet confirmed that the situation was dire. “Some of his teeth were broken and he had arthritis so severe it was difficult for him to walk.” But despite his limited time left, Robert was ready to make the most of it for Desi. “My intention was to foster him for a few weeks to show him love from a human he never had. Little did I know I needed him more than he needed me.”
But as it turned out, what “little” time he had left was a lot longer. It’s amazing what a little love and attention can do. “I had fostered others but there was something about this old man that grabbed my heart. He began to thrive. I started treating his arthritis and managed his pain. He was with me for 2 1/2 years. He was the sweetest and most kind creature I had ever met. We formed a close bond and I loved him to the moon and back. The arthritis and bone spurs eventually could not be managed and the pain became too much.”
Puppies and kittens are great, even awesome! We get them knowing, way deep in the back of our minds, that we will probably have to part with them. But it’s easy to shove that knowledge away because that’s years down the line. But seniors bring a special quality with them, if not a great quantity of time. “My thought is that the seniors and the terminally ill are the ones that need us the most. There is a sense of gratitude you get from rescuing one of these broken babies. Unfortunately too many times instead of managing their diseases with proper vetting they are dumped and abandoned.”
Robert says a little TLC on our part goes a long way. “It’s our mission to let these in-the-most-of-need to not die on a cold metal table with strangers. That’s no way for a companion animal to go. Since they have no voice we become their voice. There have been many of these seniors that have been adopted and are living their best life no matter what time they have left. Some have passed on but they were with someone who loved them and cared for them. We hold them and love on them until their last breath. We should all be so lucky to have this when its our time.”
“It’s not an easy job, but nothing truly worth accomplishing ever is. “It’s a large commitment, he told us, “but one that is filled with a greater good. We provide all vetting that is needed and any food that is required. All we ask is that the foster/fawspice provide the love and warm home. There is a growing movement in the U.S. to take care of these seniors. My thought for DDs is that its Karma on our side so that when it’s our time we will be rewarded with the same compassion and kindness to transition.”
Robert’s inspiration and dedication all goes back to his friend and companion. Long gone, but never forgotten. “This is all in honor of Desi the broken baby who came back from the brink and lived as if he was a puppy again and saved a human. Me.”
To learn more about adopting a senior dog or how you could help in other ways, please go to www.DDsSeniorSanctuary.com.
