The founders of MAPS Animal Rescue recently unveiled a brand new program designed to save the lives of senior dogs and cats on death row in the shelter system simply because of their age.

It’s not uncommon for elderly pets to be surrendered to the shelter in exchange for a younger companion, and seniors in need of homes tend to be passed over again and again, according to Melissa Lampert, co-founder of Madeline’s Angels Pet Sanctuary (MAPS).

20-year-old Rascal in the isolation room at the shelter.

“We believe no animal should spend their final days in a shelter, and sadly, senior pets are usually the toughest to adopt out,” Lampert said. “It’s heartbreaking to think of how many seniors die in shelters when they should be living out their golden years in a loving home.”

Lampert was inspired to create the Senior Sanctuary program after visiting a county shelter and meeting a pair of elderly cats — a blind 15-year-old named Sophie and a frail 20-year old named Rascal – who were both abandoned because they were “too old.”

“Even though I knew the chances of adopting either of them out through MAPS was slim, I was prepared to pull them both from the shelter so they could live out the rest of their days in a loving foster home,” Lampert said. “That’s when I came up with the idea for a program specifically for these types of rescues.”

While Lampert, who also serves as the Features Director at KHTS, made plans to rescue the cats, she was able to spotlight them and three others in a special edition version of the “KHTS Adopt a Pet” series dubbed the Senior Spotlight.

Related: Madeline’s Angels Pet Sanctuary Launches Website, Seeks Foster Homes

She was shocked – and elated – to learn that both Rascal and Sophie were adopted from the shelter within days of the spotlight’s release, which allowed her to take in a bonded pair of 14-year-old cats on their way to the same shelter instead.

14-year-old Nala in her MAPS foster home.

“Simba and Nala are the first cats to officially be part of our Senior Sanctuary program,” Lampert said. “We actually saw a Facebook post in a local animal community group saying that their owners had run out of time to re-home them after being evicted, and they were headed to the shelter that day.”

Knowing the chances of the elderly pair being adopted out at all – let alone together – were small, Lampert made arrangements to take them into foster care in hopes of finding their forever home, but knowing they would have happy lives together until the end of their days regardless.

Now Madeline’s Angels Pet Sanctuary is looking for long-term fosters for both dogs and cats, as well as donations for the program so it can continue to grow and save the lives of even more senior pets.

“It takes a very special person to be willing to take in an elderly senior pet not knowing how much time they have left,” Lampert said. “It will be heartbreaking at times, but also incredibly fulfilling. We provide the supplies and medical care, we just need fosters to provide a loving home. And if you can’t be a foster, please consider donating to help make the program possible. We can’t do it alone.”

To find out more about the Senior Sanctuary program and how you can get involved by fostering or donating, email [email protected] or click here.

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