The Farm: Senior Dog Sanctuary

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The Farm: Senior Dog Sanctuary The Farm is a peaceful, joyful, and loving forever home for senior dogs. We are a registered nonprofit organization.

I'd say Dave is a big fan of toys. 😂 Do you have any babies that sleep with all of their toys?
23/01/2025

I'd say Dave is a big fan of toys. 😂
Do you have any babies that sleep with all of their toys?

From day one, Shawna knew that Birdy was a soulmate. They were two peas in a pod. Two weirdos in the woods. No matter ho...
13/01/2025

From day one, Shawna knew that Birdy was a soulmate. They were two peas in a pod. Two weirdos in the woods. No matter how long they were apart, they both lit up when they reunited. Birdy would spring up & down until Shawna scooped her up, giving her lots of kisses. Birdy would try to give kisses back until Shawna said, “Thank you, Bird!”, at which point Birdy would melt into a sweet hug.

Birdy came to us after her owner passed away in his home. Birdy & over 20 cats had to fend for themselves for several weeks after their owner’s passing. Birdy arrived at Capital Humane Society in a frail state, with a mouth full of rotting teeth. The wonderful folks at CHS knew that Birdy needed to come to us. As usual, they were correct.

Birdy flourished at The Farm. For almost four years, she was one of the most joyful dogs we have known. She blasted down trails & bounded through prairie grass with the reckless abandon of a puppy. She loved every creature she encountered.

In May, Birdy developed cataracts but was not a candidate for surgery. Her vision loss was difficult. It dimmed her light. Luckily, she was still happy & comfortable. In December, Birdy started showing neurological signs. She had a few seizures. Then, she woke up one morning unable to walk & with a diminished mental state. It sounds strange, but sometimes it’s a blessing when there is a clear indicator that it is time to euthanize. If you have ever struggled with the impossible decision of “When is it time?”, you may know what we mean. Birdy let us know. It was obvious, but it still felt impossible to say goodbye.

Some Bird facts:

💛 Birdy found her better half, Hooper, at The Farm. Even if she was aimlessly wandering, Hooper would follow behind her, giving her nuzzles & sniffs at every stop.

💛 When another dog barked, Birdy had to bark along. She didn’t go to the source of the barking. Instead, she stayed where she was, threw her head back, and yelled until someone said, “Thank you, Bird!”, at which point she would fall silent, satisfied with her contribution.

💛 Birdy was an excellent hiker. She went on a few trips with us & kept up with much bigger & younger dogs. She forged water crossings & leapt over blow-down trees like an old pro.

💛 We joked she was “foldable for your convenience”. Birdy’s body was 90% legs, & she was incapable of sitting, laying, or being held in a remotely normal position.

💛 Birdy loved all humans, but she had her favorites. She especially loved Grammy, Brianna at Optimum Veterinary Medical Group, and, of course, vet students.

We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to know & care for Birdy. She truly was a perfect creature: joyful, kind, & a stone-cold weirdo. We are also so fortunate to have YOU! Thank you for your endless support of The Farm dogs. 💛

Thank you, Bird. We will see you in the next one.

Thank you to Rachel for bringing over some of sweet Teddy’s old toys! The new house favorite is this giant crab (GSP for...
06/01/2025

Thank you to Rachel for bringing over some of sweet Teddy’s old toys! The new house favorite is this giant crab (GSP for scale).

Hooper’s bed-head is truly unmatched.
05/01/2025

Hooper’s bed-head is truly unmatched.

Some dogs take a while to settle into a new home. You may have heard of the 3-3-3 guidelines... In 3 days, a dog decompr...
03/01/2025

Some dogs take a while to settle into a new home. You may have heard of the 3-3-3 guidelines... In 3 days, a dog decompresses from travel. In 3 weeks, they learn their new routine. In 3 months, they start to feel at home.

Figg was unaware of these guidelines. From the second he walked in the door, he knew that The Farm had been built specifically for him. He strutted in the door with a big ol’ smile on his one-eyed face and surveyed his new kingdom. Our little lion. He immediately took to life here at The Farm: racing along during walks, playing with his new family, and always knowing exactly when it was time for dinner, or breakfast, or snacks. Figg’s wife, Newt, was timid and unsure of all the changes. Ever the gentleman, Figg rarely left Newt’s side while she took her time warming up.

Figg came to us with a collapsing trachea. For five months, we cared for him as best we could, including oral meds and an inhaler. Unfortunately, our little lion was no longer comfortable (though he never stopped being happy), and we made the decision to help him move on.

We love rescuing bonded pairs, but we often underestimate the grief that comes when one-half of that pair dies. For weeks, Newt rarely came out of the crate that she and Figg had claimed as their domain. She was listless and didn’t want to eat. The melancholy hung over her head in thick clouds. We are old pros at grief, but watching Newt process her loss was one of the most difficult things we’ve had to endure at The Farm. In time, Newt returned to her happy and supremely sassy self, but just like with all grief, you can still see it there from time to time. She often wakes from a nap and looks around, seemingly searching for her Figg who had always been beside her, keeping her warm.

Things are mostly back to normal here, but grief is never truly gone. It becomes a part of us, and while there are endless parts of us, the grief will always make itself known in little ways. Perhaps we can take a page from Figg's book, and do our best to start each day like it was made just for us. Like we are little lions coming home to our kingdom.

Some things you might not know about Figg:
💛 Figg growled when he ate but not in a remotely threatening manner. He sounded like a Wookie gargling yogurt.
💛 His favorite game was to wind in between your legs, back and forth, and snorting all the while.
💛 He had the cutest little butt and the bounciest walk you ever saw. His little lion strut often had us in stitches during walks.

Finally, we want to say “Thank you!” for all your support, through times of joy and grief. YOU make The Farm possible.

We have another camo situation. Has anyone seen Newt?
31/12/2024

We have another camo situation. Has anyone seen Newt?

Looks like Andy is wearing camo 🤣
30/12/2024

Looks like Andy is wearing camo 🤣

There are dozens of beds to choose from at The Farm, but sometimes the best spot is smack dab in the middle of the kitch...
22/12/2024

There are dozens of beds to choose from at The Farm, but sometimes the best spot is smack dab in the middle of the kitchen floor.

Meet our newest band member, Dave Growl.Dave’s 14th birthday was last week, but the only thing that gives away his age i...
21/12/2024

Meet our newest band member, Dave Growl.

Dave’s 14th birthday was last week, but the only thing that gives away his age is his weak old man hind end. After losing some weight, starting a pain management plan, and getting lots of steady exercise, Dave is really starting to feel young again.

Dave LOVES walks and toys, but is especially happy when his two loves are combined. Before each walk, Dave finds the perfect toy to accompany him on our journey.

Everyone please join us in welcoming Dave Growl to The Farm! 💛

Lila’s face when she hears the cookie pouch. 👁️👄👁️
17/12/2024

Lila’s face when she hears the cookie pouch.

👁️👄👁️

Meep doing the Thriller dance in her sleep 🤣
10/12/2024

Meep doing the Thriller dance in her sleep 🤣

Caught these two being the cutest
08/12/2024

Caught these two being the cutest

Shawna recently got a stock tank for ice baths, and Andy always begs to get in with them. 🤣
07/12/2024

Shawna recently got a stock tank for ice baths, and Andy always begs to get in with them. 🤣

Betty was totally asleep behind the wheel and neglected that today is GivingTuesday! Can't trust this little gremlin for...
03/12/2024

Betty was totally asleep behind the wheel and neglected that today is GivingTuesday!

Can't trust this little gremlin for a moment..

Thank you to everyone who decides to donate to our little dream. Links can be found below.

💜💛

https://linktr.ee/the.farm.dogs

When Hooper first came to The Farm, he didn’t appreciate being touched. Now his favorite activity is getting cuddled and...
03/12/2024

When Hooper first came to The Farm, he didn’t appreciate being touched. Now his favorite activity is getting cuddled and carried around by Shawna.

Looks like someone spilled some Oatmeal.
01/12/2024

Looks like someone spilled some Oatmeal.

Things we are thankful for: 💛 These eleven oldies 💛 You and your support 💛 FIVE YEARS of running The FarmThat’s right! ...
28/11/2024

Things we are thankful for:

💛 These eleven oldies

💛 You and your support

💛 FIVE YEARS of running The Farm

That’s right! This month marked our five year anniversary! In that time, we have cared for 35 senior dogs. It has been the greatest honor of our lives to give these dogs the love and care they deserve during the last bits of their lives. And we absolutely could not have done it without you!

If you would like to donate, here are some options:

💛 Make monthly donations via Patreon: https://bit.ly/3LQlrBb

💛 Make a one-time donation via PayPal Giving Fund: https://bit.ly/4685AXX

💛 Press the “Donate” button at the top of our Facebook profile page.

💛 Send a check to 469 County Road 21, Ceresco, NE 68017

If you can’t donate, no worries! We can support The Farm dogs by clicking “follow” on Instagram and/or Facebook, and by sharing our cause with your loved ones!

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! 💛

What’s that ear doing, Betty?
23/11/2024

What’s that ear doing, Betty?

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Videos

When you tell Snarf it’s time to walk…
When you tell Snarf it’s time to walk…

When you tell Snarf it’s time to walk…

What do you think Oatmeal is dreaming about?

What do you think Oatmeal is dreaming about?
What do you think Oatmeal is dreaming about?

What do you think Oatmeal is dreaming about?

Oatmeal aspires to win the gold for breakdancing in the 2028 Olympics.

When she hears her dad say “Hi” 🥰
When she hears her dad say “Hi” 🥰

More Lint cuteness…
More Lint cuteness…

Lint doesn’t always play, but when he does, he chomps an ear and hops away.
Lint doesn’t always play, but when he does, he chomps an ear and hops away.

Swifty was hanging out in town with her human cousins, and they taught her some sweet new soccer moves. This is certainly proof that old dogs can learn new tricks!

Stuck on the couch in the best way 💛 #dogpile
Stuck on the couch in the best way 💛 #dogpile

Here we see the Crust Lord emerging from his winter hibernation. Happy spring, y’all!

Look at these very good goobers.

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