((Left) Shown with the dog she adopted, this woman quickly learned that “true love has no timeline (Right) King Chewy, a mastiff, is shown with his owner Leslie, and the diminutive Queen Tora, who were crowned at last year’s Senior Dog Prom | Photos courtesy of Silver Linings Rescue Ranch)
A woman who adopted two senior dogs through Silver Linings Rescue Ranch in Powell Butte says it best: “Adopting senior dogs has taught me that companionship, devotion, and joy are ageless. Giving a dog in their golden years a second chance at life in a safe and loving home is such a gift for everyone involved. With the two seniors I’ve been lucky enough to care for, we needed each other more than we needed years. True love has no timeline.”
Yet despite the rewards of giving a senior dog a loving, secure, and happy retirement home for whatever time he has left, the American Society of Cruelty to Animals reveals that: “Senior dogs have an adoption rate of 25 percent, while younger dogs, including puppies, have a 60 percent adoption rate. This means far too many great dogs are passed over simply because they are older. That’s a loss not only for those dogs but also for potential adopters.”
Erica Psaltis, who has “always been an animal lover,” founded the nonprofit Silver Linings Rescue Ranch after working at a local high-save shelter and seeing that “those seeking to adopt a dog were always interested in puppies. Yet people would also bring in senior dogs,” she added, “that perhaps belonged to their parents who had been moved into assisted living where pets weren’t allowed, or had passed away. These animals were much harder to place.”
A self-described “big dog person,” Psaltis was so moved by the situation she observed that she and her husband initially took in a senior toy poodle (named Noodles) to foster that soon “was everything to me, and my partner in crime. I loved her so much.” After Noodles passed away, the couple adopted another senior dog, this time a long-haired dachshund, and — despite having a fulltime job — Psaltis decided to broaden her commitment to this deserving segment.
As she explained, the overall mission of Silver Linings — to give senior dogs a second chance at love and a comfortable life — has three specific goals: 1) To rescue senior dogs and place them into temporary homes through our foster network, allowing us to get to know them better; 2) To adopt senior dogs into new loving forever homes where they can live out their golden years with new families; and 3) To start conversations about planning for pets in case their guardianship needs to change. And to help provide information and resources to execute long-term planning and care.
To those who are concerned about the longevity of senior dogs, Psaltis responds that “puppies can pass away as well — after being hit by a car, or contracting Parvo, for example. No one has ever complained of being ripped off, but instead are so thankful for the time they and their dog spent together.”
“A lot of those who adopt from Silver Linings are older as well,” Psaltis said, “and don’t feel capable of taking on a puppy. And before being adopted, the dogs undergo a complete senior panel, including dental extractions, that might otherwise prove unaffordable.”
Since becoming a 501(c)3) in March 2022, Silver Linings Rescue Ranch has placed 200 senior dogs, primarily small ones, in foster and adoptive homes. It has formed relationships with the Humane Society of Central Oregon, as well as rescue organizations in Multnomah and Marion counties, and has about 25 people in its foster network.
Relying primarily on donations to cover operational costs, Silver Linings also stages a “Senior Dog Prom” each May at Bend’s Midtown Yacht Club where “dogs of every size can come” and be formally photographed with their owners.
“It’s a fun time,” said Psaltis, and includes voting for a king and queen, with plans for 2025’s event (themed “Pawhide”) calling for an expanded scope of royalty. “We’ll have a full prom court with princes and princesses, and regalia including crowns, sashes, and fur-lined capes. Our goal is to have the event grow, and become Silver Linings’ signature fundraiser.”
Pointing out that November is “Adopt a Senior Pet Month,” Psaltis emphasized the motto of Silver Linings Rescue Ranch: “Love has no age limit.”
