Exclusive: Fostering a senior dog in the time of coronavirus
Erin Stanton, owner of Susie's Senior Dogs, is stepping up to help elderly dogs by covering the cost of fostering them during the coronavirus pandemic. She talks to Fox News about why senior dogs are in need and how we can help during isolation.
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Amid the escalating coronavirus pandemic, Erin Stanton, owner of Susie's Senior Dogs (SSD), is stepping up to help elderly pets by covering the cost of fostering them.
“I figured a strong incentive to get these senior dogs into homes right now would be paying for everything,” said Stanton.
BUSCH OFFERING 3 MONTHS WORTH OF BEER TO ANYONE WILLING TO FOSTER A DOG
Stanton started SSD in 2014, and has been raising awareness and money for senior dogs ever since. COVID-19, however, provided new challenges for the plight of elderly dogs.
In an interview with Fox News, she explained that there is a greater need to get dogs out of shelters during the COVID-19 crisis. That’s because of limited volunteers, and the lessened ability for people to go to shelters and adopt. In turn, dogs receiving limited walks and care. It was a call to action for Stanton.
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“If someone is home and they have the time to foster, but maybe they lost their job and, you know, they can't afford it … I didn't want money to be the deterrent," said Stanton. "So if they can't afford to foster.… I thought, why don’t I remove all those barriers, and then hopefully it will lead to more seniors getting into foster homes right now.”
According to SSD’s March 16 Facebook post, the offer stands for “anyone in the United States who will be home from work/school/life for the foreseeable future and will have some time to foster a dog.”
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Stanton says that her typical classification of a senior dog is one that's at least 7 years old, but she's lowering it to 6 for this particular initiative. She notes that senior dogs are most likely already trained and require one big walk per day, as opposed to younger dogs who require upwards of an hour or two of exercise.
“It’s amazing to bring home a dog that has a few years on them,” said Stanton. “At the end of the day, it feels really good to know that you're giving a home to a dog, or fostering a dog that a lot of people would reject.”
For more on Susie’s Senior Dogs, watch the full interview with owner Erin Stanton above.
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Emily DeCiccio is a video producer and reporter for Fox News Digital Originals. Follow her on Twitter @EmilyDeCiccio.
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