VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Several pups inside the Virginia Beach SPCA are searching for their forever home. Before they find their family, the staff wants to make sure they’re in the best health, especially for senior dogs.
“We see a lot of dental procedures needed in senior pets and those can become fairly expensive fairly quickly,” said Matt Wurzburger with Virginia Beach SPCA.
He said those bills could cost hundreds of dollars.
“Senior animals face longer stays in the shelter due to misconceptions of how they might fit into their home and also the general idea that they are more expensive to care for,” he said.
Though, new grant funding is helping to take the load off. Wurzburger said the shelter received $15,000 from the Grey Muzzle Organization which will help to cover the costs of medical bills for these dogs. It also ensures adopters won’t have to take on an additional fee.
“Knowing we have this money in our back pocket allows us to reach out to our transfer partners in the area and take on senior pets who have extensive medical needs," he said.
SPCA leaders have already identified five senior dogs that will benefit from this grant. One of them is Monty who is heartworm-positive and will have to undergo treatment. Monty is also in need of dental care.
“Last cycle, we saw 24 animals receive care that was funded by the Grey Muzzle Organization and we saw almost a 10-day drop in length of stay for our senior residents,” Wurzburger said.
“This grant will help us give senior dogs like 11-year-old Bella the veterinary and dental care she needs, so she’ll be ready to go to her forever home,” said Derby Brackett, CEO of the Virginia Beach SPCA. “No one is more grateful or loving than an old dog, and we’re looking forward to helping more senior dogs get the second chance they all deserve.”
He said in 2022, senior dogs had an average 49-day stay at the Virginia Beach SPCA. He said that dropped to 41 days as of this year. Wurzburger adds the team is working to identify other senior animals in need of care that will also receive covered care thanks to the Grey Muzzle grant.