Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Koch.
Nancy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Honestly, I had no idea there was such a problem with senior being abandoned. I knew older dogs had a harder time getting adopted, but I did not know people were surrendering them left and right. I went to check out a Mastiff at a shelter; I had always loved Mastiffs. I didn’t know anything about her like her age; I had just heard there was a female Mastiff there.
It was obvious when I saw her, she was older but while I was there visiting her, several couples came along to check her out and each one said something to the effect of, oh wow she’s old, and left. I thought if I don’t get her who will. That was the start of senior rescue for me. I chose to concentrate on the larger breeds because they are less likely to get out of the shelters alive.
That almost 10 years ago and many, many seniors have passed through my doors, and I’ve loved every minute of it. I took it slow because I had to find fosters and build a good reputation so I could raise the money to care for them since large breed senior dogs are very expensive as far as food, vet care; basically anything they need cost more.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was definitely been a rough road. Although very satisfying work, there is a lot of heartbreak, but also dealing with fosters that don’t understand if you commit to fostering, then suddenly change your mind, we have a dog and nowhere to put them.
Sometimes a dog will have an accident or bark too much, and even though they are dog-friendly they may need their space initially and fosters will call and say come to get this dog. Overall we have great fosters, but it has been a challenge finding them.
Grand-Paws Senior Sanctuary – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Grand-Paws Senior Sanctuary is a nonprofit senior dog rescue which specializes in the larger breed seniors who’ve been abandoned. We give them a home and take care of all their needs, vetting, medications needed, food, treats, and toys, whatever they need and want.
We take the dogs no one else wants, sometimes they don’t have long left on this Earth, but we try to make it the best possible time for them. More recently we’ve started making bucket lists for the very senior or dogs with cancer to just make everyday special.
We’ve even taken dogs from the shelter that did need to be let go because they were suffering, but we’ll bring them to Grand-Paws or maybe stop at a park and sit in the sun or watch the sunset, and our mobile vet will come, and the dog can pass in the arms of someone who cares rather than being taken to the euth room at the shelter.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I don’t think I can pick one moment. I am so proud and so grateful to be with each and every dog that comes to us.
To watch them go from either depressed or scared, or sometimes dying from something that’s treatable like a diabetic dog who just needs insulin, and to see them happy, prancing around, maybe grabbing a toy, and giving us kisses.
To me, there’s nothing better!
Contact Info:
- Website: GrandPawsRescue.org
- Phone: 661-286-2066
- Email: [email protected]
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/grandpawsseniorsanctuary
Image Credit:
Rita Earl Blackwell
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