Celebrating our Volunteers

Our volunteers come in droves. They walk, cuddle, care for, bring gifts, send pictures, attend events, donate, drive dogs to appointments, take dogs for sleepovers, have dog dates, foster, and the list continues on and on. Without them, we are lost. It’s that simple.

When seniors come to our sanctuary, they are seeking a second chance. The goal is to find a family who will love them unconditionally for the rest of their lives. We strive to continue our founder, Val’s, mission of providing a safe space for senior dogs. We see the despair in their eyes when we meet, and we struggle to overcome it. Putting the spark back is part of the process but requires time and patience, and we can’t do it alone.

This is where our volunteers step up and help us find these dogs their forever and make the sanctuary home in the meantime. When a cuddle shift unexpectedly opens up, it’s immediately filled by a pup-loving volunteer. We never worry the dogs won’t get the love and support they need while rehabilitating. Volunteers willingly offer their time to hang out for an hour or more with these seniors who have been let down repeatedly. The dogs come to know and love our wonderful helpers, understanding that this new place where they find themselves is indeed a beautiful haven.

Whether you show up for cuddles, make gifts, take our dogs on walks, foster, or help with events, you are an asset to the Senior Dog Sanctuary of Maryland. We couldn’t provide such a loving space for dogs without your support. You give us hope that a dog will never come into our sanctuary knowing neglect again. Instead, they will know unconditional love from every angle.

It’s never easy to gain a neglected dog’s trust, but our volunteers sit and wait. It starts with a sniff. Then, maybe it’s a gentle nudge for a short cuddle. Before we know it, our volunteers have dogs vying for affection and waiting patiently for a lap to plop into. Our dogs get the ultimate treatment because we have the very best people supporting us. Again, it’s that simple.