The Golden Bark Foundation

In 2015 I saw a schnauzer named Sadie on Facebook, whose owners had passed, and she was found wandering the streets. She was a senior dog, 13 years old. My heart broke for her and her circumstances, and I opened my heart and home to her. She was wonderful! Sweet and well-tempered, housebroken, and happy to be a part of our family. Although I knew she didn’t have much time left, giving her the home she deserved for the latter portion of her life, felt so good. The inevitable happened in 2018 when she passed over the rainbow bridge, leaving a hole in my heart. As sad as I was to see her go, it still fulfilled me knowing what I gave her. Soon after her passing, I saw another dog online named Harvey. Harvey was a 10-year-old schnauzer that had been surrendered to the Humane Society. He reminded me of Sadie, and I visited him in the shelter. I instantly fell in love; Harvey was a joy, from his scraggly hair to his constant excited barking. I took him in, and he became a part of our family, living out his final years in comfort and knowing he was loved. Just last year, in 2022, Harvey passed away. He left a hole in my heart, just like Sadie. One thing became clear: these old dogs were my true passion in life. Who knows what would have happened to these old dogs if I hadn’t taken them in? Older dogs are the last to get adopted at shelters and the first to be euthanized when the shelters reach capacity. People want to adopt young dogs with their lives ahead of them, but seniors deserve a loving home too. They deserve a comfortable retirement home where they can be given the care and love they need to live out their golden years. In March of 2022, I decided to do something for those senior dogs, something I had thought of and talked about for a few years. I began the process of starting up a non-profit dog rescue for senior dogs, and in June of that same year, The Golden Bark Foundation became an official 501c3 organization! The GBF is small right now, but we’re growing every day. We’ve already helped eight old dogs in need get into foster homes and new forever retirement homes! It’s only the beginning, and I’m so excited to see this organization, which I began on pure passion and love for the old dogs of the world, grow and prosper!

The Golden Bark Foundation is dedicated to rescuing and advocating for at-risk senior dogs, fulfilling their immediate needs and sending them off to a love-filled retirement home. We focus on rescuing senior dogs because they are often forgotten and cast aside at the point in their lives when they need the most care. When they end up in shelters, people prefer to adopt younger dogs that require less care and maintenance with fuller lives ahead. We plan to rescue and find homes for these senior dogs. They deserve to know love in the latter portions of their lives.