Woman Runs Senior Pet Sanctuary For Unwanted Senior Dogs

Nov 11, 2019 by apost team

A retirement home for dogs is melting hearts worldwide.

House With a Heart: Senior Pet Sanctuary is a rescue organization in Gaithersburg, Maryland. It accepts old, sick and injured dogs who are unlikely to be adopted, and it gives them a warm and loving home until the end of their days.

House With a Heart (HWAH) was started in 2006 by Joe and Sher Polvinale. They owned two acres of land and wanted to do something good with it, so they started accepting senior dogs right into their home at no cost and with no strings attached.

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If a family pet became too ill for the owners to care for, the Polvinales would re-home the pooch at HWAH. If a human senior passed away and left behind an equally senior dog, the Polvinales would step in and take it.

Volunteers say that Sher is a woman on a mission.

"She has devoted her entire life to the care of all of these animals," a volunteer told FOX 5. "She doesn't go out to lunch, she doesn't go out to dinner and she hates to leave the house even for a medical appointment of her own."

HWAH is known for being entirely run by volunteers. More than 55 people have "joined the furry family," and it's their responsibility to bathe, feed, groom, socialize and play with the home's four-legged residents. They'll also take care of general home maintenance like laundry and yard work.

HWAH will sometimes ask for donations and wish list fulfillments on social media. They post a lot of pictures and updates on social media, so they're always a hit on special occasions like Senior Dog Day.

"It definitely takes a village," Sher once told reporters.

An unavoidable fact of home life is that many of the dogs pass away. They're seniors, so they're vulnerable to everything from natural causes to age-related illnesses. Some are only at HWAH for a matter of days before they pass.

However, the home never forgets a single dog that has passed through its doors. There's a memorial page right on the HWAH website where visitors can browse pictures and testimonials of good boys who have gone to a better place.

"They will always remain in our hearts," the website says, "and we are eternally grateful for the time we had them in our lives."

What do you think, readers? Are you amazed at the strength and resilience of elderly dogs? Would you volunteer at House With a Heart if you had the opportunity? Let us know in the comments!