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Pooky (right) was one of 13 senior Chihuahua mixes whose lives were turned upside down when their person passed away from COVID-19 last Fall. Senior dogs losing their homes doesn’t sit right with us at One Tail — we had to do something to help them! However, taking on the care of 13 senior dogs is a big commitment and we couldn’t do it alone. Thanks to a grant for medical expenses for senior dogs from The Grey Muzzle Organization, we were able to rescue all 13 dogs (later called The Baker’s Dozen) and provided them with veterinary care before finding them new homes to live out their golden years. Happy tails, Baker’s Dozen!

This Spring, we once again worked with our friends at The Grey Muzzle Organization to launch our innovative “Silver Ticket” program as part of our ongoing commitment to keeping senior dogs in good homes and out of the shelter system. This was in large part possible due to a generous $12,000 in grant funding as part of The Grey Muzzle Organization’s year-long Learning Partnership, which focuses on innovative strategies to serve the needs of senior dogs.

The goal of the Silver Ticket program is to provide vouchers for preventative care for senior dogs in the Chicagoland community. Silver Tickets are being distributed at One Tail at a Time’s pet and people pantries, put on in collaboration with Chicago organizations on the front lines of promoting equity and justice throughout Chicago. We’re so excited to be offering these new resources to our community members and to help keep senior dogs happy in their homes!

 “We’re looking forward to building on our existing services to help even more families in our community stay together with the help of our new Silver Ticket voucher program,” said Heather Owen, JD, Executive Director of One Tail at a Time. “These vouchers will provide veterinary care for old dogs who need check-ups, so that treatable medical issues can be addressed before they become major ones.”

“Working directly with The BLOC and Mothers Against Senseless Killings has been an incredible way to connect to our community and meet our neighbors. We’re excited to be able to bring new resources to help them care for the pets that they love,” Owen continued.

Donations to support care for One Tail at a Time’s homeless pets and outreach efforts can be made at onetail.org/donate. In-kind donations of supplies to support One Tail at a Time’s pet and people pantries can be made at onetail.org/wish-list.

Left: FeFe, pictured here with his doting mom, proudly becomes the first Chicago dog to receive a Silver Ticket at One Tail at a Time’s pet and people pantry with The Bloc on May 9th! Right: 11-year-old adoptable Milo helps share the joy of adopting senior pets and helps promote the Silver Ticket program.

In addition to One Tail at a Time, the Asheville Humane Society in North Carolina and NorCal Boxer Rescue in California also received Grey Muzzle grants to pilot programs that help senior dogs and the people who love them stay together.

“These grants are part of Grey Muzzle’s year-long Learning Partnership focused on testing innovative strategies to better address the needs of senior dogs and build on the findings of our Saving Senior Dogs national study,” said Lisa Lunghofer, Executive Director of The Grey Muzzle Organization.  “We look forward to sharing progress and challenges with the goal of developing and replicating successful model programs to ensure senior dogs stay out of shelters and in loving homes.”

Thank you to The Grey Muzzle Organization for your commitment to helping senior pets in need!

Love senior pets too? Consider giving one of our many deserving seniors a good home — learn more about fostering or adopting senior dogs!