Having a dog in your life is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. But as our furry friends (and us, too) get a little bit older, things can get complicated. Medical issues and other expenses come with age. Sometimes people on a fixed income have trouble caring for their older canine companions.

Luckily, if you live in the Central Valley and are on a fixed income, there are options to help you and your older dog out. The Elder Paws Senior Dog Foundation is a non-profit whose mission is to help senior doggies stay with their owners. Oftentimes, finances are a large part of the sad story of shelter-surrendered pooches. Elder Paws works to make a sad story have a happy ending, allowing these dogs to stay with their owners and get the care they need.

Programs help support dogs and their owners

Elder Paws has various programs that are tailor-made for older dogs. The “For Love of Buttons” program helps cover humane euthanasia for dogs suffering from terminal illnesses. There’s also the Pandora Fund. Covering the cost of critical health care, this fund allows senior dogs to stay with their owners and still have a good quality of life.

Sometimes senior dogs need specialized dental and skin care. A good example of this is Peekaboo, an 8-year-old chihuahua. According to Elder Paws Executive Director Cathie Garnier, “A few months ago, Peekaboo began scratching and itching and recently has shown signs of a serious skin issue. Peekaboo’s owner could see that her furry companion was miserable, but living on a fixed income left no funding for expensive vet care for Peekaboo. Peekaboo’s owner was referred to Elder Paws Senior Dog Foundation as a candidate for our ‘Pandora Fund’ program. Peekaboo was diagnosed with chronic allergic dermatitis, aggravated by the summer heatwave. He is now receiving treatment for his condition and his owner feels so much better that Peekaboo is getting the help he needs.”

Hearts of Gold annual fundraiser

If you like hearing happy tails (er, tales) like this, you may want to consider supporting the work of Elder Paws. There’s a great opportunity coming up in September when the foundation hosts its annual Hearts of Gold fundraiser.

Tickets are on sale now for the event, which includes dinner, a show with Jeremy “Elvis”  Pearce, and a silent auction.

A chance to eat a delicious meal and meet Elvis all while helping older doggies? On the scale of “Nice Things To Do For Dogs,” this is a pretty fun one in my opinion. Mark your calendar! Here are the details:

Hearts of Gold annual fundraiser
September 23, 2017
5-9 p.m.

Classic Catering Co.
625 4th Street
Clovis, CA 93612

Tickets available by clicking here!

Other ways to help senior dogs

If you can’t make the fundraiser, you can still purchase items from the Elder Paws store here. You can also send items on the Elder Paws wish list here.

To make a donation or sign up to volunteer your time, visit the Elder Paws website.

If you want to follow the Elder Paws Foundation and see more inspiring stories, find them on Instagram  and Twitter, or check out their Facebook page. Seriously, follow them on Facebook, they have doggie videos!