A Maryland woman opened her house for aging animals to thrive through their golden years.
All dogs go to heaven, as
the saying goes, and one nonprofit ensures senior pets get the special
care they need during their final years.
House With a Heart
in Gaithersburg, Maryland, serves as a senior pet sanctuary. The
organization rescues pets (mostly dogs) that have been neglected or
abused by their families, and volunteers provide extra care and love to
as many precious creatures as they can.
Founder Sher Polvinale opened up her home to these aging animals 11 years ago with her husband, Joe.
"I started thinking about all the dogs and cats we had placed over the
years and how we had agonized over finding just the right home," Sher
told The Huffington Post.
"I just felt terrible thinking about a pet who loved and trusted its
person being given up because it was old, and not so convenient
anymore."
[post_ads]For more than
30 years, Sher and Joe shared an interest for rescuing animals and
searching for a loving new home for them. But as the couple got older,
they noticed how so many dogs and cats were neglected due to their old
age, and an idea came to them to create House With a Heart in 2006.
Though Joe sadly passed away from lung cancer in 2008, Sher, 69, now
runs the organization with a group of volunteers.
"I
miss him every day, but I know he'd be proud that we're still taking in
as many senior pets as we can and treating them with compassion in
their final years," she told PEOPLE. "In order to feel happy and fulfilled in life, everyone needs a passion. This has become mine."
House
With a Heart welcomes pets from ages 12 and up to live inside Sher's
four-bedroom retirement home. Coming from shelters or families, about 30
animals live there until they die. A staff of around 60 volunteers
gives Sher an extra hand on caring these senior pets. Some tasks include
filling dishes, taking the animals outside, and more importantly,
giving them as many cuddles as possible.
"The satisfaction I get from caring for them in their golden years is priceless," volunteer coordinator Martine Ferguson told PEOPLE.
"Seniors are the last to get adopted in shelters and are too often
overlooked — so trust me when I say that they are extra grateful for the
love you provide."
Sher's
life remains fully dedicated to her nonprofit: she wakes up at 6 a.m.
to start a day of caring for her cherished guests. "Every morning I open
my eyes and jump up ready to spend another day loving and caring for
these dear ones who need me," she told HuffPost. "I am so fortunate to have this life!"
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Even
if she sometimes doesn't go to bed until after midnight, Sher sleeps on
the couch with some dogs, just to make sure they need any special care
during the night. "They're like old people in many ways, with some of
them having cardiac issues, dental problems, incontinence or blindness,"
Sher told PEOPLE. "We make a lot of trips to the vet."
Some
days are harder, due to a loving pet's death, but every House with a
Heart resident is never forgotten. Their pictures and names are
decorated on frames, and are placed on the wall beside stairs, which the
nonprofit likes to call, "The Stairway to Heaven."
"We've lost 80 so far and I remember them all." Sher told PEOPLE.
"It's not easy to say goodbye, but we take comfort in knowing we've
given them a wonderful end-of-life experience. Not a single animal
leaves our care without knowing they were loved."
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