Silver Paws Senior Sanctuary is Buying A Retirement Home, One Square at a Time

Photo Credit: Helena Lopes via Pexels

The Silver Paws Seniors are wagging their tails at the idea of more space – 28,482 square metres of more space, to be exact!

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (16 July 2024) – The Silver Paws Senior Sanctuary is home to a pack of golden oldies, living out the best of the rest of their lives! The heartwarming charity is a kennel-free retirement sanctuary that takes in senior dogs who need a quiet place to spend the remaining years of their lives. However, they have reached capacity; they are hoping to acquire a neighbouring property, which is 28,482 square metres in size (7 acres).

Salome Meyer-Louwrens and her husband Gerrie founded the sanctuary in 2018 after purchasing a large property and establishing their home there. They welcome senior dogs of all kinds. There are no kennels on the property; instead, there are cosy dog beds scattered around the house, and the dogs each have their favourite spots (even a few spots in the human’s bed).

Many of the senior dogs receive medical treatment for heart conditions and arthritis, but regular deworming and flea and tick treatments, along with vaccinations, are standard at the sanctuary, too. Each of the sliver-pawed pooches that arrive at the sanctuary is welcomed with open arms. Many of these seniors would otherwise be euthanised.

Having taken in as many senior dogs as they can, space is limited. The couple hopes to expand and take on a nearby plot that will add much-needed space and allow them to take on more senior dogs. The sanctuary has introduced a “Sponsor a square meter for Silver Paws” campaign.

“So many senior dogs in South Africa need somewhere to retire. Their owners have passed away or gone into old age facilities or emigrated or even just deserted them because they are old.

At Silver Paws Senior Sanctuary we take them in and provide a kennel-free, home environment for them to live out the rest of their lives. Food, veterinary care, 24 hour supervision and lots of love is provided.
We are now full to capacity.

In order to help more dogs, we need a bigger property with more space.
We have found the perfect site not far from where we currently are. It’s 28 482 square meteres in size (7 acres). It’s been standing empty for a few years and needs a LOT of work to make it habitable.
You can help to provide a senior dog with a retirement home!”

They are hoping to find support within the community to help sponsor the purchase of the new property. As with many organisations before them, accessing the correct property is vital for keeping an animal welfare organisation running.

The property is 28,482 square metres, and each square is being offered for purchase. One square cost is R100, so if you can help with even one, it would go a long way in supporting the silver-pawed seniors. So far, 515 squares have been purchased.