At a sanctuary tucked away in rural Pennsylvania, something extraordinary is happening: elderly dogs are finding new beginnings — and so are the people who take them in.
Through the Senior Citizens for Senior Dogs Forever Foster Program at Pattie’s Waggin’ Tails Senior Sanctuary in Tunkhannock, PA, senior dogs are matched with senior citizens who provide them with love, comfort, and companionship. In addition, the program removes every financial and logistical barrier to adoption.
“We’re here to help,” sanctuary co-founder Patricia Rogers tells LFT. “We match [people] with the perfect senior canine companion, guide them through the application process, and lift the financial burden of pet ownership. Their responsibility is to provide love and care for their new furry friend, while we cover vet care, food, medication, and preventative needs.”
Courtesy of Pattie’s Waggin’ Tails Senior Sanctuary
The nonprofit, founded and run by Rogers and her husband, Paul, takes in senior dogs from shelters and from guardians who have moved into long-term care or passed away. While much of the funding comes from the owners themselves, it’s also sustained by grants and donations.
“In short, our passion is simple: no senior dog should ever end up in a shelter, and no senior whose owner has passed should be abandoned,” Rogers said. “We feel the same compassion for senior citizens facing loneliness. Too many encounter age discrimination when trying to adopt and get lost in endless, frustrating online applications that lead nowhere.”
Each adoption match means another animal is spared the fear and isolation of a shelter — and another person no longer faces their golden years alone. It’s a model that doesn’t just save lives, but restores a sense of purpose.
Lady Freethinker applauds the critical work of Pattie’s Waggin’ Tails Senior Sanctuary, whose dedication proves that compassion has no age limit.
