WINNIPEG – Some old pups are living out their golden years thanks to one Manitoba woman.
For two years Judy Smith has been running Before the Bridge Senior K9 Rescue in Stony Mountain, one of the only rescues in Manitoba catering to senior dogs over eight years old.
“There’s a need for senior dogs to have a place to go rather than be euthanized,” said Smith.
Owners give up their old pups for multiple reasons, including allergies, moving, lifestyle changes and divorce, she said.
Dogs can also be left behind if their owners get ill or even pass away. That happened to two dogs left behind after their owner had a massive stroke, Smith said. The pets were then allegedly shot in the head and killed by their owner’s friend.
“The sad thing is the day they were shot, we had just set up two home visits, so that just broke my heart,” said Smith.
Smith wants to see stiffer penalties for people who assault or kill their dogs.
“You can do as you please to your dog because we don’t have enough laws to protect our animals,” said Smith.
But Smith said older rescue dogs have advantages over puppies. Most are house trained, calm and well-mannered, perfect for people with children and other pets, she said.
Since starting the rescue, Smith has found homes for more than 250 dogs, with 35 dogs currently in foster homes in and around Winnipeg.
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