Woman turns her home into hospice for old shelter dogs so they don’t die alone

All dogs deserve a loving home, even the ones that might not have much time left. Elderly dogs are frequently overlooked in favor of younger puppies, but they deserve a forever home to spend the rest of their lives in.

But one woman has made it her life’s work to provide a loving final home for these senior shelter dogs, converting her home into a sanctuary that now houses 80 senior pets.

Valerie Reid, 44, of Hermitage, Missouri, was inspired to care for senior dogs after a personal experience made her aware of the eyes that pets face as they age.

She struggled to find a home for her father’s aging Doberman while her father was dying of cancer, according to SWNS. She couldn’t take the dog because she had already exceeded the city’s pet limit, and she couldn’t find another rescue that would.

“We looked everywhere for a rescue that could help, but none of them would take her because of her age,” Valerie recalled.

Finally, she was able to find the Doberman a foster home on a farm that specialized in senior dogs. It was a happy ending for the dog, who lived peacefully in their care for another year and a half, and Valerie’s experience served as an eye-opening inspiration.

She told SWNS, “It got me thinking about what happens to senior dogs, who were once beloved pets.” “My eyes were opened to the fact that there were so many dogs in need of assistance… It’s a sadly underappreciated aspect of the rescue industry.”

So, in 2017, Valerie and her husband Josh founded the Whispering Willows Senior Dog Sanctuary, a non-profit sanctuary dedicated to senior dogs. They purchased a 3,000-square-foot home in Hermitage, with enough space for dozens of dogs to spend out their days in comfort and peace.

“We only accept dogs that are at least 12 years old.” She told Ozarks First, “Sometimes special needs, sometimes hospice.” “Sometimes they just need a place to lay their head and pass away,” says the narrator.

She explained that many of the dogs have been abused or neglected, and that one of them, Peanut, was discovered chained up in 100-degree heat.

“They’re very broken-hearted, emotionally or physically when they come in,” she told KY3.

Valerie, on the other hand, says her goal is to give them a sense of normalcy and trust, as well as a safe forever home in which to spend their final days.

“Once they come, they’re here to stay.” They are not required to leave. This is their forever home, so they won’t have to deal with another loss or trauma."

“They know they’re safe when they come.”

According to SWNS, the hospice now employs 17 full-time staff members to care for the dogs, and they can accommodate up to 80 dogs at any given time.

“The sanctuary grew and grew and grew and grew and grew and grew and grew and grew and grew and grew and grew and grew and “It’s wonderful to have so many little hearts who love us back.”

Valerie claims that over the years, they have cared for 790 dogs. Deaths are common among the dogs due to their age: about five die each week, and about the same number are taken in.

Valerie takes pride in providing these dogs with a loving home at the end of their lives, despite the fact that it can be difficult work.

“Our mission is to assist people in preparing for the end of life; none of us know what tomorrow holds,” she told SWNS. “We have the love to send our seniors off in style and comfort. Yes, it is painful, but it is a privilege to love and care for them.”

Senior dogs require a loving environment in which to spend their final days, and we’re grateful for people like Valerie who will step in when no one else will, giving them with the love and care they require.

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