Giving Older Dogs a Chance to Shine: $1.57 Million in Grants Fuel New Beginnings
Giving Older Dogs a Chance to Shine:
$1.57 Million in Grants Fuel New Beginnings
Nationwide, July 15, 2025 As animal shelters and rescue groups across the country face record numbers of homeless pets, there’s some heartening news for older dogs: The Grey Muzzle Organization—the nation’s largest nonprofit focused exclusively on senior dogs—is awarding a record-breaking $1.57 million in grants to 119 animal welfare organizations in 33 states selected from 440 applicants nationwide.
“If 50 is the new 30 for humans, why not for our older best friends? Senior dogs have so much life to live and love to give, yet they’re often the last to be adopted and the first at risk when shelters run out of space,” explains Denise Fleck, Executive Director of The Grey Muzzle Organization. “Our grants help change that by funding medical and dental care, adoptions, foster and hospice programs, and resources that keep senior dogs in the homes they love—giving thousands of older dogs the new beginnings they deserve.”
From Forgotten to Forever: What the Grants Will Do
Whether they’re found as strays or surrendered by owners who can no longer care for them, most senior dogs entering shelters need medical attention. Thanks to Grey Muzzle funding, dogs like Maya will find love and a soft landing:
For 10 years, Maya lived with an animal hoarder, was bred repeatedly, and confined in a cramped pen. Rescued but at risk of euthanasia due to overcrowding, she was saved by Forever Loved Pet Sanctuary in Arizona with support from The Grey Muzzle Organization. In foster care, Maya began to heal, and her rescue freed space for two other dogs on the euthanasia list. But there’s more! Molly, Maya’s daughter, who had been housed in that same hoarder’s pen, was deteriorating in a rural shelter with an undiagnosed illness, but because Grey Muzzle funded Maya’s veterinary care, it was discovered she had anaplasmosis—a tick-borne disease treatable with antibiotics. That diagnosis saved both senior dogs. Maya got her second chance, and three other lives were saved along the way.
Says Caroline Mirtich, Maya's forever mom, I am so excited that her story is getting out there to help raise awareness about senior dogs and to hopefully inspire people when they hear her story. She is truly an amazing dog who has shown incredible resilience while also maintaining her sweet and loving disposition.
A Vision Where Every Senior Dog Finds Safety, Love, and a Soft Landing
Since 2008, Grey Muzzle has provided $7.3 million in grants to support senior dogs across the U.S.
“Thank you to everyone who opens their heart and home to an older dog, says Fleck. “Together, we’re building a world where new beginnings are possible for older best friends.”
A complete list of Grey Muzzle’s 2025-26 pack of grantees is available at www.greymuzzle.org/who-we-help
About The Grey Muzzle Organization
The Grey Muzzle Organization is a national 501(c)(3) that saves and improves the lives of at-risk senior dogs by providing funding and resources to animal shelters, rescue groups, and sanctuaries across the country. Since 2008, Grey Muzzle has provided $7.3 M in grants and envisions a time where every senior dog finds safety, love, and a soft landing. Visit www.greymuzzle.org to learn more or support the mission.
