my elderly fathers pet dog tilly passed away 6mths ago. at a grand old age of 12yrs. she was a great comfort to him when my mum passed away. he is now ready to offer a loving home to a older dog. the advice we need is where to go for this dog. do we go to a dog home if so will my fathers age go against him as he is in his early seventies. or do we look in local newspaper./adverts in local shops. or do we put a advert in our selves. i have asked people at work to keep their ears open if they hear about anyone who can no longer look after thier pet due to ill health.
thanks.

I'm sure that if you talk to anyone at any rescue centre they are just crying out for people who would like to adopt older animals, and if your father is in good health then it would be a shame for him to be lonely when he could offer a really good home. I understand that adopting a puppy would be against the rules of the charities at your father's age, but that may not apply with older dogs, and if your family would be able to offer the safety net of taking the dog on in case of anything happening to your father then I think the majority of charities would be more than pleased to talk to him and see if they have the perfect older companion for him.

Many of the older dogs and cats in shelters are there because they come from homes with older people who have died or gone into residential care and they would just love a space of their own in which to have a dignified old age.

I wish you and your father luck in finding a canine companion for him.

Me too - as Medusa says, a lot of pets end up in rescue because their original owners can no longer look after them, often due to ill health, or when the owner has passed away, so it would be a lovely gesture if your father could adopt an older dog and a great companion for him. All the best xk

I was more than happy to take on an older cat, when the CPL adopted my beautiful ginger boy, Tawny to us.

as med says, they're crying out for new mummies and daddies for these older boys and girls, cos "everyone" seems to want kitties or puppies...

Tawny had belonged to an elderly man who passed way. the CPL rescued him, as he was getting back, into his old house, and becoming very bewildered, and distressed, because his "daddy" wasn't there.

He was rehomed to us, and had a happy, and pampered last 18 months/ 2 yrs with us, instead of being PTS prematurely, or spending them stuck in some cage somewhere.

It's eight years since this handsome boy crossed the rainbow bridge, and I still miss him.

He brought a lot of love, and amusement to us. It was a hard day when he had to be PTS, as a result of collapsing with liver failure, but, I suppose, he'd had a "Good Innings", he was a grand old age.

thank you all. we will be ringing a few places .will let you know how we go on. once again thanks.

You could try Rainrescues website www.rainrescue.co.uk they have links to rescue homes.

Good luck with your search for a dog. :)

One of our fosters has a fantastic elderly beagle with her at the moment. She is called Berry - and is 12 yrs old. The last owners were emigrating, and she was too old to take.

My fosterer says that she is superb and she wouldn't put her at such an age as 12 as she is so sprightly and nice.
If you want to email me directly - on admin@rainrescue.co.uk I can send you some pics of her. She will be supported by beagle welfare group should she need any major veterinary treatment and help or support.

Little dogs like this make such a superb companion - I am sure she would melt anyones heart.

Let me know where abouts you are based as well would you.

It would be great to help Berry, she would be so easy for your father, last year i took on an 11 year old dog and she is lovely she is full of character (noisy but thats just her :hihi: ), clean and well behaved, affectionate and really really lively she would be enough for anyone, she is still full of beans at about 13.
She did however have a few health problems at first and later a tumour needed an op, but if you have the beagle welfare to help foot any costs your laughing.
Oldies are fantastic so much less bother than the younger dogs with all the benefits of a dog that has learned about living with people already... personaly i would do it again without hesitation, and i know others on here have taken on oldies too with good results :)

I haven't taken an older dog on, but I've done it repeatedly with older cats- and would recommend it to anyone. What you get when you adopt an older animal is different to when you adopt a baby- they already have their adult personalities and you know what they're getting. Older animals are usually happy to live out their years as a companion without trashing your house or chewing everything in sight. It's a lot more like sharing your home than being a parent. If my pockets weren't so empty I'd consider it a lot more than I have so far.

There are some lovely older dogs in need of homes on the rotherham dog rescue site. If I had me own place I would definately have an oldie.

Lots of rescues have "older" dogs and I am sure if your father visits to have a look he can have a chat with the staff. I have previously rehomed older dogs to older people when I worked in rescue. There are lots of dogs who's owners have died and they do not do well in kennels, most refuse to eat and it is heartbreaking to see them. When I win the lottery (ha) then my ambition is to have a home full of oldies, so they can live out there days in comfort.

Best of luck to your father in finding a new companion

True- some lovely dogs in there through no fault of their own, all waiting for their new forever homes... I saw a lovely dobe in Thornbery a few years back - his owner had died. Would have whisked him away there and then, but the voice of reason (other half) stopped me - little things like 'what would Ailsa the dobermutt think', 'where on earth would we find the extra space from' and so on. When I win that lottery...

One of our fosters has a fantastic elderly beagle with her at the moment. She is called Berry - and is 12 yrs old. The last owners were emigrating, and she was too old to take.

My fosterer says that she is superb and she wouldn't put her at such an age as 12 as she is so sprightly and nice.
If you want to email me directly - on admin@rainrescue.co.uk I can send you some pics of her. She will be supported by beagle welfare group should she need any major veterinary treatment and help or support.

Little dogs like this make such a superb companion - I am sure she would melt anyones heart.

Let me know where abouts you are based as well would you.


This is Berry (http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n199/darkdisturbed1/?action=view&current=Berry_Flyn015.jpg), sent to me by Strix, and she really does need a good new home , so ask around, how could anyone resist that beagle-ness? Please ask around and lets try and find this very special old lady a new forever home:)

Now, if only I didn't live in a poxy flat the size of a rabbit hutch......:D