Vinnie

Vinnie, a 12-year-old Poodle/Dachshund mix, is in hospice care at The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs in Cleveland, Ohio. Vinnie was passed over for adoption due to persistent house training difficulties and because of a heart murmur. More recently, he has developed an enlarged heart and bronchial asthma, both of which require medication and careful monitoring.

And yet Vinnie has the ability to raise the spirits of many people. Vinnie passed his Delta Society therapy dog test along with his Sanctuary handler. He enjoys visiting a local adult day care center where he has become a very popular fellow. And because he now has Delta Society credentials, he can also visit elementary schools and help children learn about dogs and their value.

Vinnie is a wonderful example of an old dog who could have been tossed aside, but instead has been given the opportunity to share his joy of living with others and show the world just what an old dog can do.

The Grey Muzzle Organization pays for Vinnie’s medical care and supports the senior therapy dog program at The Sanctuary for Senior Dogs. We seek to fund additional programs that help old dogs give back while enjoying retirement. 

November 2009

We said goodbye to this loving little spirit this month. The Sanctuary says, "Vinnie...crossed the bridge last month to join his many friends who have gone before. Vinnie battled kidney disease, heart disease, asthma, low vision, and arthritis, but he handled it all with grace and dignity. He worked as a therapy dog until several days before the end of his life, participating in a documentary photo shoot in the afternoon and going to the emergency clinic that evening when he became suddenly ill with what was later diagnosed as pancreatitis. Vinnie enjoyed his work as a therapy dog; he visited A New Day Adult Care Center and the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities. He frequently kept volunteers company at the Adoption & Education Center, and shared his love generously and willingly with everyone he met. He was born for a life of lap sitting and cuddles. A big dog in a small body, Vinnie leaves many behind who love him and who miss his irrepressible good humor, strong spirit, and quiet affection. Godspeed, Vinnie. Yours was a job well done."