Guest Blog by Lisa Lunghofer, Ph.D.
Executive Director of The Grey Muzzle Organization
Summer Smile Campaign and Calendar Contest
Every Senior Dog Deserves a Reason to Smile!
We at the Grey Muzzle Organization can’t help but smile! Last week we hit our $7,500 goal for our all-new dental fund for at-risk senior dogs! Better yet–to give even more dogs something to smile about, Summer Smile Campaign sponsor TopDog Animal Health & Rehabilitation offered a matching gift of $2,500! We have upped our goal to $10,000, and now every dollar we raise will be doubled, up to $2500. We appreciate TopDog’s dedication to promoting dogs’ health and are thrilled to have their support to make this campaign a success. Every dollar raised will go directly to support dental care for senior dogs, improving their overall well-being and increasing their odds of being adopted into a forever home.
The old dogs that share our hearts and homes are part of our family. Sadly, many old dogs are not that fortunate. Senior dogs slow down. They develop medical issues. And many find themselves alone, afraid, and at-risk in shelters across the country. The Grey Muzzle Organization creates happy endings to these heartbreaking stories–on a national scale. We improve the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing grants and other resources to animal welfare organizations nationwide. Examples of the kinds of programs we support include medical and dental assistance, in-home hospice care, Seniors for Seniors adoption programs, beds for old dogs at shelters, and education programs to encourage the adoption and quality care of senior dogs. This year we also have several new grantees offering innovative programs, including one grantee that offers swimming lessons to senior shelter dogs, another focused specifically on treating and rehabilitating senior dogs from puppy mills, and yet another dedicated to helping terminally ill people care for—and ultimately, find homes for—their senior dogs.
Grey Muzzle helps dogs like 10-year-old Sparky and 12-year-old Bambi, a bonded pair of poms who were recently taken in by Lionel’s Legacy Senior Dog Rescue after their owner passed away. A Grey Muzzle grant provided funding for the dental work they so desperately needed, and now they are up for adoption and hoping for a second chance at a happy ending.
Support the Summer Smile Campaign for a Chance to See Your Pup in our 2017 Calendar!
We want to see YOUR grey muzzles’ smiles! Support the Summer Smile Campaign and enter your senior dog in our 2017 calendar contest. Simply make a tax-deductible donation to our Summer Smile Campaign and then upload a favorite picture of your senior pup at givinggrid.com/summersmile. At the end of the campaign, our Advisory Board members will choose their favorite photos to be included in our 2017 Grey Muzzle calendar. A picture of the entire GivingGrid—including all of the pictures submitted—will be our December photo! Not only will you be showing off your beloved pup, but you’ll also be helping at-risk senior dogs. Learn more at greymuzzle.org.
Photo credit: Terran Bayer of Westway Studio
