My thoughts return to Fred, a hiker I met along the way on Old Speck. After he consumed a banana, he wanted to toss the peel off the trail, and when I voiced my opposition, he proposed throwing it even further so it would not be seen. As a seasoned hiker, he surely knew the commandment Leave No Trace. Yet, in that moment, he was willing to deface the beauty of nature with litter, casually discarding what he considered unwanted.
A banana peel is not part of the Old Speck ecosystem, it is an alien intrusion that diminishes the natural beauty of the mountain.
I feel an abhorrence when I consider the dogs discarded by humans, loyal companions cast off as if litter. The puppy mill “bitch,” past her prime producing years, is summarily cast out. Other older dogs abandoned by what once were their families, perhaps due to a manageable medical condition, an unexpected expense, or simply the attitude that the dog is no longer cute, fun, or playful.
Does this not go against a social ecosystem that values kindness, compassion, and caring?
For some older dogs, however, deliberate abandonment is not the story. They arrive at places like Finally Home, not from neglect, but from circumstance. Perhaps their human has to move to a non-pet residence, or is unable to care for the dog physically or financially, or has passed away. The unspoken covenant between human and dog is broken by fate, not cruelty. It is sad and unfair.
Fred eventually put the banana peel in a container in his rucksack and shortly thereafter sped off. I spoke up, and he eventually did the right thing. It took only a few words to reclaim that small measure of stewardship. My quest is an action to emphasize that stewardship, beginning with a few words at a mountain summit, can, well, perhaps move mountains.
By hiking the fourteen four thousand-footers of Maine and offering a summit salute to the senior dogs at Finally Home, this quest aims to bring an awareness of two things: the urgent need to care for these older dogs, and the heartening sense of family and home Laurie Dorr has provided for them at Finally Home.
The dogs at Finally Home are a testament to resilience. As individuals and as part of a family, they are engaged, open to receiving love, and generous in giving it. They do not know their age, they simply live in the moment, offering a profound model for gratitude, peace, and how to live life.
On my quest, standing at each summit sign, I was struck by the different forms of reward. On some mountains, like Spaulding and Redington, the summit is wooded. The view is limited, obscured by trees. The reward is not a grand, public vista, it is the quiet, internal knowledge of the journey, it is the stewardship of just being there. This is the profound, personal reward of caring for a senior dog. It is the quiet, daily act of providing comfort, a reward that is internal and deeply personal, not a loud spectacle. On other summits, like North Brother and Saddleback, the vista is so vast it feels like you can see forever. This is the unlimited view of what is possible. This is the inspiration that shows us a better world, the world we can create with our imagination.
A Call to Action: Finding Your Own Path
My quest honoring the dogs is my effort to raise awareness and support for older dogs who deserve to finish their journey in peace. The dogs at Finally Home are part of a family, a home. Love rules. One can join this quest for better stewardship, helping secure a safe, permanent home for a senior dog, whether at Finally Home, or somewhere else in the community, or even in one’s own home.
While adopting a senior dog from another organization can be one of the most rewarding experiences, it is important to enter the partnership with open eyes. The potential costs, a shorter time together, increased veterinary expenses, or simply more patience required, are real. Yet, these costs are overwhelmingly outweighed by the benefits: a companion who is more likely trained and well-mannered, calmer, and utterly devoted. You gain a companion whose personality and temperament are already known, and is still capable of giving and receiving the deepest love.
There are many ways to find your own path:
- The Power of a Few Words: Never hesitate when it is safe to intervene or speak a few words when witnessing a violation of kindness or stewardship, whether it involves the natural environment or a vulnerable animal. A powerful action can be as simple as a few words spoken.
- Creative Action: I hiked. Idiosyncratic. Perhaps crazy. A personal, individual quest that I then shared. I put out into the universe my salutes honoring the senior dogs at Finally Home. In a way, each dog became an ambassador. I met some wonderful people along the way and was able to spread the word. One can find one’s own creative way.
- Financial Support: The mission to care for senior dogs requires support at every level. Individual donations are essential and personally meaningful. Large-scale funding is also critical; this involves appealing directly to private foundations, government agencies, and corporations. For example, pharmaceutical corporations, dog food companies, and others, like Mars (makers of M&Ms), are often generous in helping dogs. Perhaps one has a personal connection to a deep-pocketed champion for dogs who can help.
- Community Action: Community groups and organizations such as schools can design service programs that assist owners in caring for older dogs. (Hey, after all those dirt roads, my poor little Honda would welcome a refreshing car wash at a high school fundraiser for older dogs.)
- Personal Responsibility: Encourage people with dogs to be explicit with family and friends, even putting into a legal document, a plan for the long-term care they want for their companions, especially should they become unable to provide for that care themselves. If possible, they should allocate the financial means to support that plan.
Finally Home: The Heart of the Quest
You can support this specific mission by learning more about the sanctuary that inspired it. Finally Home is a sanctuary, not an adoption site, but your support directly benefits the dogs in their care and also supports older dogs not directly in their care.
Read, Watch, and Connect:
- The Story: Explore the heartening journey and mission of Laurie Dorr’s work.
- North Yarmouth woman raising funds to support older dogs [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaZhUNk72OI]
- The Sanctuary: Finally Home Senior Dog Rescue
- 616 New Gloucester Road, North Yarmouth, Maine 04097
- (207) 829-3943
- Find Your Own Senior: You can find senior dogs available for adoption through other reputable organizations, such as The Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland.
Family and Home!
Onward!
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Old Dawg for Old Dogs 