Contact the Sanctuary

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Contact the Sanctuary

Or contact us by mail at

The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs

P.O. Box 609054

Cleveland, OH 44109

Or call us at 216-485-9233.

Or visit us at our new Adoption & Education Center, 4860 Broadview Road (just a few blocks south of the old Center) in the Old Brooklyn neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio.

Wednesday 6-7 p.m.

Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

We want to hear from you! We are dedicated to serving senior dogs in need.

Special Note: Due the ever increasing demand for our services, The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs accepts dogs primarily from shelters and pounds in Ohio. Dogs from shelters and pounds in other states are accepted on a space-available basis only. Unfortunately, we can no longer accept dogs directly from the public.

If you are thinking about surrendering your old dog, please exhaust every possibility for keeping your best friend in the home he knows and finds comfortable. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 6-8 million animals enter the sheltering system each year; only half of them leave alive. That means that more than 3-4 million animals are killed each year in shelters across this country. Clearly, there are not enough homes for all the dogs in need. Please do not add another dog to the vast numbers of the homeless unless you have absolutely no other choice. Before you decide, please click Can We Help You Keep Your Dog?

If you really cannot keep your older dog, try a listing on PetFinder.com or an ad in your local newspaper. If you use these placement tools, however, please screen your potential adopter carefully. The life and safety of your dog may depend on it. Unscrupulous people may pose as caring individuals only later to sell your dog to research or to a fighting ring. Please use caution in dealing with people you do not know.

We suggest the following steps to help find the right home for your companion animal:

Ask for and check both personal and veterinary references.

Visit the potential new home personally. Watch family interactions and treatment of other animals in the home. Require all family members to be present at the home visit. Don't leave a dog in the new home after the first visit. Go home and think it over.

Collect an adoption fee of at least $75 to help guarantee that your dog is not sold into research or as fighting dog bait or otherwise used to make money. If you are not comfortable taking money yourself, you can ask for a fee and offer to send it to an animal charity in the adopter's name. Send the donation yourself; do not accept a verbal promise to donate. The adopter will receive a year-end tax deduction, and you will have added peace of mind. Please do not give your dog away to a stranger.

Check the drivers license of the potential adopter to make sure you have the correct name and contact information. The address on the license and the address of the home you visit MUST match.

Ask for the right to follow up on a prearranged schedule: every three months, twice a year, or whatever is comfortable.

If you have doubts about the person interested in your dog, contact your local animal control agency and make sure the potential adopter does not have a history of animal abuse. If you have serious doubts, just look for another home. Never rush to find a home for your dog.

Rachel

Old Dogs, Great Friends!

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