All senior dogs who are recruited into Camp Golden Years come from veterans who can no longer physically care for them, are in shelters or are facing homelessness.
“We do this by rescuing, rehabbing and rehoming homeless senior dogs. Being a veteran-founded organization, our primary focus is taking on seniors belonging to veterans facing homelessness or in hospice, but when space and resources allow, we can take in senior shelter dogs as well,” he said.
Camp Golden Years has the capacity to support up to 22 senior dogs at a time. On top of that, Camp Golden Years maintains financial support for another 20 to 30 senior dogs placed with veterans or with medical fosters. All senior dogs who are recruited into Camp Golden Years come from veterans who can no longer physically care for them, are in shelters or are facing homelessness.
When Rockey Met Lurch
Rockey started working on this organization not long after he exited the military.
“I had completed a tour in Iraq and Afghanistan as Navy Corpsman (combat medic) attached to a Scout Sniper Platoon. I didn’t quite know it at the time, but that job taught me a great ability to endure difficult times while still maintaining compassion and positivity,” he said.
Like many veterans leaving the military, Rockey struggled to find a mission that he could personally impact. “Then one day, I stumbled across Lurch, a senior pug wandering in the streets in a blizzard. This fella had been through the wringer, and it was clear he hadn’t been adequately cared for. I spent three months caring for the old man before he passed and knew this was a mission I could be of service,” he said.
Rockey recalls that many folks around him couldn’t understand the act of opening up his heart and home to a dog that is only going to be around for a short period of time.
“I couldn’t understand how you couldn’t,” he said. “This was my duty, this was my mission and this was my something worth fighting for. From those days on, I would push forward by making sure these senior dogs didn’t die alone in shelters or on the streets while finding people who are just as dedicated to giving these dogs the dignity they deserve in their final days or years.”
Making a Difference for Seniors
Rockey said that while it’s hard to say whether Camp Golden Years is making a substantial difference in the overall senior dog population in shelters, it is making a difference to the seniors within their ranks.
“One of the biggest reasons families won’t adopt a senior is the cost. It’s hard to take on an initial $500 to $1,500 vet bill to get them comfortable.”
Camp Golden Years eliminates the cost, as all senior dogs receive food, shelter and companionship. They also receive a full medical work-up and any quality-of-life surgeries they need before adoption.
The majority of seniors who end up at Camp Golden Years haven’t been to a veterinarian in years, if ever. Covering the much-needed veterinary care and providing lifelong advocacy for every adopted senior from the ranks is the key that gives adopters the confidence to be the difference.
For safety, Camp Golden Years has a weight limit of 25 pounds and all seniors must pass a behavior test to see if they can safely cohabitate with the other recruits. In the future and with more support, the non-profit organization plans to look into adding space for larger seniors.
Operating on Volunteers, Donations
Currently, Camp Golden Years operates with one or two staff members to cover the day-to-day duties, five core volunteers to help cover larger projects and events, and about 20 volunteers that help with odds and ends like fostering, transporting and marketing seniors for adoption.
“We are always looking for fosters and folks to help get our recruits in front of possible adopters. At this time, we cannot accommodate more on-site volunteers, as we are going through some facility changes, but please email info@campgoldenyears if you are interested or think you can help our mission in any way,” he said.
Rockey said Camp Golden Years has been fortunate that people have supported them financially through the years. The majority of the support comes from $6 monthly donations from people all over the country. “It takes a dedicated team and a community that believes in the mission, and local volunteers and donors committed to putting in the time and resources,” he said.
Growing Support for Older Dogs
The best part of the job is the dogs, he says. “We have a variety of seniors here and Camp Golden Years is kennel-free. You get some easy-going seniors, some grumpy seniors, and some seniors who haven’t been told they are a senior, so on any given day, you see some funny stuff. Someone is always sleeping in someone’s bed and someone is always stealing someone’s treats. It’s honestly a great time.”
The staff and volunteers also have their down days when they have to say goodbye to friends. “But Camp Golden Years has been and always will be a place to laugh, smile and celebrate the life and companionship these seniors give us.”
Rockey said this year has been a very bad year for many shelters because of a number of factors including owner relinquishments, underfunding and staff shortages. But Camp Golden Years has been able to take in the dogs while they await forever homes.
“As support grew, we have grown from a foster-based organization to a facility and foster-based organization. With an aging population, we are seeing more and more senior dogs who are losing families, but the silver lining is that some communities are evolving, and senior dogs are winning the hearts of the people. This change is only possible when the responsibility for these animals is embraced by a community as a whole, and at the moment, we seem to be going in the right direction,” he added. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Dog lovers can check out Camp Golden Years on Facebook and Instagram to see what their recruits are doing. To find out more, visit campgoldenyears.org or call 833-OLD-DOGS.
