Want to Adopt a Senior Dog? Here’s Your Cheat Sheet to Achieving Your Dream

Our pups’ golden years should be a time of relaxation (and maybe some fun, Golden Girls-esque hijinks). Long afternoon naps, daily treats, and quality time with loved ones are all a must. Unfortunately, when a senior dog lands in a shelter, life suddenly becomes less cushy.

Older dogs usually take longer to find a new home, which means that many of them spend what should be some of their happiest years languishing in cages or worse. But what if more of us realized that adopting a senior dog could be a major life hack?

Senior dogs are the best.

For many families looking to adopt a pet, a senior dog might actually be the smartest choice. A senior dog will often arrive trained and experienced with children and other animals — which means less work for you. And because senior dogs’ personalities have already developed, you can be reassured that what you see is what you’ll get if you bring them home.

Nikki Sanders, founder of Taffy’s Touch Senior Dog Rescue in Indiana, points out that a lot of families are also looking for lower-energy dogs — and in many cases, a senior dog fits that bill. Although some might assume that an older dog will likely bring with it expensive medical issues, that’s not always the case.

“We get a good mix,” Sanders says. “Just because they’re old doesn’t mean that they’re unhealthy or that they’re going to be expensive. We get plenty of really healthy dogs.”

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Where can you find a senior dog — and how?

So, it’s settled. We’re all going out and adopting senior dogs. But where do you actually find one? There are, of course, multiple apps (and shelters, sanctuaries, and foster organizations) for that.

The best place to start your search could be online through sites like Adopt a Pet, which also has a mobile app. You can narrow your search by geographic location, desired age and breed, and more. If you have kids or other animals, specify your needs through the “Good With” category.

If you get thoroughly interviewed by a rescue org, that’s a very good sign.

Beyond doing research to find your prospective pooch, make sure you’re adopting from a reputable organization as well. You can learn a lot about a rescue group from the questions it asks (or doesn’t ask) during the application process. Sanders emphasized that steps like background checks, reference requests, and perhaps even home visits are vital. 

None of us love jumping through hoops, especially when there’s an adorable dog on the line, but if a rescue group is checking you out, that says a lot about how much attention they put into the animals under their care. 

“We never want a senior to end up back at square one, back to the shelter, because it wasn’t a good fit,” Sanders says. That’s why Taffy’s Touch even offers trial adoptions to allow families to welcome a dog into their home for a few weeks to see if they’re a good match. 

Plenty of orgs are here to help you.

If working the apps isn’t cutting it, some national nonprofits can also help you find the perfect pal. Consider, or instance, Susie’s Senior Dogs, which showcases senior dogs across the country to help them find new homes. There’s also the Senior Dogs Project, which began in 1997 and has since put together a number of helpful resources — including lists of senior dog rescues by state and breed-specific rescues committed to helping senior dogs. If you’re more of a visual learner, they even offer a map of senior-friendly rescue orgs.

The type of rescue group you choose to adopt from might also depend on your specific needs. If you want to meet a lot of dogs face to face and see how they respond to your “ pet voice,” you might prefer a shelter, while a foster-based organization will likely be able to offer more first-hand knowledge about how each dog behaves in a home environment. There are also sanctuaries that house multiple senior dogs in one place, and while not all of them make their dogs available for adoption, some do.

No matter where you live, there are likely multiple rescue organizations in your state to choose from. Those listed below are just a few that have made caring for and adopting out senior dogs part of their mission.

Taffy’s Touch Senior Dog Rescue—Greenwood, Indiana

After fostering her own senior dog, a blind 14-year-old Pomeranian named Taffy, Sanders tells us that she “decided that something needed to be done to help more seniors just like her… those older dogs, or those dogs who had issues or disabilities, that get overlooked in shelters.” Taffy’s Touch is entirely foster based with volunteers spread across Indiana. Since founding the organization in 2021, Sanders estimates that it’s saved close to 500 senior dogs either through adoption or hospice care. 

Tails of Gray—Livermore, California

Tails of Gray was founded by Stephanie Meissner in 2014 and offers both sanctuary and medical treatment for older dogs while working to place them in permanent homes. The organization is dedicated to ending unnecessary euthanasia for homeless senior dogs.

North Shore Animal League Seniors for Seniors Program—Port Washington, New York

The North Shore Animal League works with dogs (and cats) of all ages, but its Senior for Seniors program works specifically to place older animals with senior adopters age 60 or older. Program participants can enjoy benefits like a reduced adoption fee, two $15 grooming sessions per year, free annual core vaccinations, and more.

Miri’s Haven Senior Dog Rescue—Washington, DC Metro & Surrounding Areas

Named for a three-pound Yorkie who’d spent her life abused and neglected, Miri’s Haven began in 2021 and is a volunteer, foster-based nonprofit that rescues, cares for, and adopts out senior dogs. While the organization seeks to adopt out most of its animals, some remain as sanctuary dogs.

Senior Dog Rescue of Oregon—Corvallis, Oregon

This foster-based rescue has been up and running since 1997 and works to house, care for, and rehome dogs ages six and up. They’ve rescued more than 1,000 dogs in their years of operation and also share courtesy posts on their website to help other organizations and individual owners find new homes for their senior dogs.

Almost Home Dog Rescue of Ohio Senior to Senior Program—Dublin, Ohio

Lassie fans will love this rescue, which dedicates itself solely to Collies. The Senior to Senior program recognizes that elderly pet parents can’t always cover the costs of owning a dog and therefore allows seniors over the age of 50 to foster senior collies while Almost Home pays for the dogs’ medical examinations, medicine costs, and food. 

Senior Hearts—Bradfordwoods, Pennsylvania

Since starting out in 2016, the foster-based Senior Hearts has saved over 900 older dogs in the Pittsburgh area. For dogs who require an exceptional amount of ongoing care, the organization’s Permanent Paws program sponsors lifelong medical treatment while closely monitoring their quality of life with a foster family.

Touch of Grey Rescue—Melbourne Beach, Florida

Although Touch of Grey started in 2019, founder Wendy Johnson started fostering dogs on her own all the way back in 2005—and since then, she’s housed more than 100 dogs on her own. She and her husband began fostering senior dogs after moving to Florida in 2015, and in its first year alone, Touch of Grey saved 86 senior dogs. The group now rescues more than 100 dogs per year and runs its own “Fospice” program to help dogs with terminal medical conditions.

Shep’s Place—Kansas City, Missouri

Named for an adorable eight-year-old hound named Shep, whom founder Russell Clothier adopted with his wife Ann, Shep’s Place operates as a sanctuary for senior dogs. While Shep’s Place residents are welcome to stay forever, they’re also available for adoption to families that fill out an application and pass a home inspection. The longtime residents listed on their website look just as happy as those that have been adopted.

Rusty’s Angels Sanctuary—Phoenix, Arizona

Most of Rusty’s rescues land in the sanctuary after their owner passes away or moves to a nursing home, and this group’s goal is to provide them a safe environment, adopt them out, and educate the public about senior dogs. Dogs who are not healthy enough to move on to a new home can remain in the sanctuary and enjoy a restful home with other dogs.

The group also operates a Farm of Hope, which houses animals including ducks, goats, burros, and chickens, but it seems only the dogs are available for adoption. Luckily, they’re all exceedingly cute.