posted April 04, 2015 07:28 PM            

Where would you go if you were an old basset hound and your person was too old or sick to take care of you any longer? Where would you go if your person didn’t want you anymore because you had too many accidents in the house, or you were too sick or too much trouble to take care of? Where would you go if your person died?

If you are a lucky old hound, someone would contact basset hound rescue and a foster home would be waiting to take you in and care for you until someone came along who wanted to adopt you. But what if there were so many other homeless basset hounds that there was no foster home for you? What if nobody wanted to adopt you because… you’re too old? Where would you go?

Sadly, this is usually the case. Foster homes are often hard to come by. People looking for an old hound to adopt are even harder to find. Who wants an old dog that might only have a few months or a year or two more to live? Who wants an old dog that might pee all over your carpet because he’s too old to get out the door in time? Who wants an old dog that might run up a lot of vet bills?

Yet, senior basset hounds are among the dearest, sweetest creatures on earth and they deserve to be loved and cared for as long as they live. You don’t dump Grandma off at the local shelter when she’s outlived her usefulness. You don’t take Grandpa to the doctor and say, “Put this old boy down, I can’t take care of him anymore.” You at least put them in a nice retirement home. Why would you do anything less for a loving, faithful companion just because he’s a dog? That’s why I started House of Puddles. It’s a retirement home for old basset hounds.

House of Puddles accepts senior basset hounds from basset hound rescue organizations and animal shelters when there is no place else for them to go. They live with me, in my house, just like any other house pet. The only difference here is, there are a lot of them. My capacity is about 16 to 18 hounds at a time, and I am always full. As soon as one lives out his life, there is another one waiting to take his place. But I love every one of them dearly for as long as they are with me, and I grieve for each one when they are gone.

It takes a lot of money to provide food, medications and veterinary care for all these old hounds. And then there are the diapers for the incontinent ones, the insulin and syringes for the diabetic ones, the special ear cleaners and shampoos for the ones with chronic ear infections and skin allergies, the nutritional supplements and special diets for the ones with cancer and other health issues… you get the idea.

House of Puddles is a tax exempt charity under IRS code section 501(c)3. Your donation to House of Puddles is tax deductible. Will you help to keep this old hound’s retirement home going? Your donation will mean that these old hounds have a safe place to live and all the love and care that they need. And when they leave House of Puddles, as they all must do one day not very far away, your donation will mean that another homeless old hound will have a place to retire.